THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

Biology  Library 

BEQUEST  OF 

Theodore  S.   Palmer 


SILAS    R.   MORSE,   Curator. 


ANNUAL   REPORT 


OF    THE 


NEW  JERSEY  STATE 

MUSEUM 


INCLUDING    A    REPORT    OF 


' 
THE  BIRDS   OF  NEW  JERSEY 

THEIR  NESTS  AND   EGGS 


And  Notes  on  New  Jersey  Fishes,  Amphibians  and  Reptiles 


1908 


TRENTON,  N.  J. : 

THE  JOHN  L.  MURPHY  PUBLISHING  COMPANY,  PRINTERS. 
1909. 


PART  I. 


(3) 


COMMISSIONERS  OF  THE  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 


STATE   SUPT.   OF  PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION,   CHARLES  J.   BAXTER,   President. 

STATE  GEOLOGIST,  HENRI   B.  KUMMEL,  Secretary. 
PRESIDENT  STATE  BOARD  OF  AGRICULTURE,  E.  B.  VOORHEES. 

PRESIDENT  OF  THE  SENATE,  THOMAS  T.  H1LLERY. 
SPEAKER  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  ASSEMBLY,  FRANK  B.  JESS. 

SILAS  R.  MORSE,  Curator. 


Heads  of  the  Several  Departments  of  the  New  Jersey 
State   Museum. 


C.  J.  BAXTER,  STATE  SUPERINTENDENT  OF  PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION, 
Educational. 

E.  B.  VOORHEES,  RUTGERS  COLLEGE, 
Agriculture. 

HENRY  B.  KUMMEL,  STATE  GEOLOGIST, 
Geology. 

JOHN  C.  SMOCK,  EX-STATE  GEOLOGIST, 
Forestry. 

JOHN  B.  SMITH,  STATE  ENTOMOLOGIST, 
Entomology. 

JAMES  T.  MORGAN,  DEPUTY  OF  BUREAU  OF  LABOR  STATISTICS, 
Manufactures. 

WILLIAM  H.  WERNER,  Taxidermist  of  Museum. 

HERBERT  M.  LLOYD,  SECRETARY  OF  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY, 

Archaeology. 

(5) 


Curator's   Report. 


In  presenting  our  annual  report  for  1908  we  are  carrying  out  the 
plan  laid  out  by  the  Commission  and  the  Curator,  to  make  the  Museum 
reports  on  the  same  plan  as  the  Museum  was  established — purely  edu- 
cational. 

This  report  treats  of  the  "Birds  of  New  Jersey,  their  Nests  and 
Eggs."  We  feel  that  no  subject  could  be  taken  for  the  report  that 
would  be  more  interesting  and  beneficial  in  the  cause  of  education 
than  this.  It  will  educate  the  children  to  love  and  protect  their  winged 
friends,  not  destroy  them. 

The  subject-matter  of  "The  Birds,  their  Nests  and  Eggs,"  has  been 
prepared  by  Mr.  Witmer  Stone,  Curator  of  the  Academy  of  Natural 
Sciences  of  Philadelphia,  a  gentleman  having  a  national  reputation  as 
a  naturalist.  His  authority  on  this  subject  is  surpassed  by  none.  The 
subject-matter  has  been  presented  in  such  a  manner  that  it  will  be 
interesting  as  well  as  instructive. 

The  part  in  our  last  Museum  report  of  1907,  "The  Mammals  of 
New  Jersey,"  was  contributed  by  Mr.  Stone.  The  report  has  proven 
a  great  success. 

To  the  Bird  Report  are  added  some  notes  of  the  New  Jersey  Fishes, 
Amphibians  and  Reptiles  by  Henry  W.  Fowler. 


WHERE   THE   REPORTS  ARE   DISTRIBUTED. 

The  Museum  reports  have  been  sent  to  all  of  the  New  Jersey  public 
libraries,  school  libraries,  colleges,  museums,  historical  societies,  the 
State  officials  and  those  interested  in  natural  history.  Besides  copies 
have  been  sent  to  all  of  the  United  States  libraries  and  departments 
interested  at  Washington,  and  to  a  large  number  of  the  museums, 
colleges  and  scientific  institutions  in  the  United  States,  and  some  in 

(7) 


8  REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

foreign  countries,  from  which  we  have  received  many  valuable  works 
in  exchange.  We  have  a  large  number  of  letters  from  prominent  per- 
sons commending  our  reports. 


VISITORS. 

The  number  of  visitors  to  the  Museum  has  increased  during  the 
past  year.  Had  we  room  to  display  our  exhibits  in  the  proper  manner, 
many  more  would  visit  it.  Many  students  from  the  State  Schools  and 
the  public  schools  have  improved  the  chance  to  come  and  study  the 
different  exhibits.  It  is  the  desire  of  the  Commission  and  the  Curator 
to  make  the  Museum  an  educational  one,  so  that  students  from  all 
parts  of  the  State  can  have  a  place  to  study  the  natural  history  as 
well  as  the  best  work  done  in  the  public  schools  of  the  State.  The 
number  of  students  who  have  improved  this  opportunity  has  greatly 
increased  in  the  past  year. 


NEW    CABINETS   AND   EXHIBITS. 

The  new  cabinets  have  given  the  geological  department  room  to 
better  display  the  many  New  Jersey  specimens  it  has  had  in  storage 
for  many  years. 

The  collection  of  marine  shells  and  shell  fish  has  had  many  addi- 
tions to  it  during  the  past  year,  and  has  become  an  interesting  part 
of  the  Museum.  Professor  John  B.  Smith,  the  State  Entomologist, 
is  still  adding  to  our  valuable  insect  collection.  To  him  is  due  the 
credit  for  this  fine  exhibit  of  insects. 


THE    NEEDS   OF   THE   MUSEUM. 

The  State  Museum  needs  more  room.  The  large  display  hall  is 
crowded,  so  that  many  of  the  specimens  in  it  are  not  properly  dis- 
played, and  many  more  cannot  be  unpacked.  Our  Educational  and 
Social  Economy  Exhibits  have  only  a  small  part  displayed,  and  one 
small  room  in  which  the  largest  part  is  contained  has  to  be  kept  locked 
to  keep  the  exhibits  from  being  stolen. 


CURATOR'S  REPORT.  9 

Much  more  of  these  exhibits  are  stored  where  they  cannot  be  seen. 
These  exhibits  are  very  interesting  and  instructive,  containing,  as 
they  do,  a  large  part  of  the  School  Exhibits  that  were  seen  at  seven 
expositions,  namely:  Philadelphia  Centennial  Exposition  in  1876; 
Xew  Orleans  in  1885;  Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago,  1893;  Pan- 
American  Exposition  at  Buffalo  in  1901 ;  Inter-State  and  West  Indian 
at  Charleetown  in  1901-2;  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition  at  St. 
Louis,  1904,  and  the  Jamestown  Ter-Centennial  Exposition  at  James- 
town, 1907. 

The  educational  value  of  these  exhibits  would  be  very  great  in  show- 
ing the  advancement  the  State  has  made  in  her  schools  for  the  past 
thirty-one  years,  if  it  could  be  properly  displayed. 

At  Jamestown  the  Educational  Exhibit  was  pronounced  one  of 
the  most  valuable  ever  shown  at  any  of  the  expositions.  It  should  be 
so  displayed  in  the  State  Museum  that  the  State  could  get  the  full 
benefit  of  it. 

The  Museum  Commission  is  anxious  to  have  a  historical  depart- 
ment. With  that  received  from  Jamestown,  and  what  has  been 
promised  to  be  presented  to  that  department,  a  good  commencement 
could  be  made,  and  in  a  short  time  it  would  have  a  collection  the  State 
would  be  proud  of,  besides  saving  many  valuable  relics  from  going 
into  other  museums  outside  of  the  State. 


10          REPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

ADDITION  TO  THE  MUSEUM'S  SPECIMENS  BY  PURCHASE. 

BIRDS. 

Mounted  Rough-Legged  Hawk. 

Mounted  Loon. 

Mounted  Red-Shouldered  Hawk. 

Mounted  Merganser. 

Mounted  Marsh  Hawk. 

Mounted  Harlequin  Duck. 

Mounted  King  Duck. 

Mounted  Tern. 

Four  mounted  Snipe. 

Mounted  Coot. 

Mounted  Short-Eared  Owl. 

Mounted  Downy  Woodpecker. 

Mounted  Crossbill. 

Mounted  Pied-Billed  Grebe. 

Mounted  Whistler  Duck. 

Two  mounted  Whooping  Cranes,  nest  and  eggs. 

Three  Canadian  Grouse. 

Plack  mounted  Dusky  Duck. 

Mounted  Ruddy  Duck. 

Mounted  Old  Squaw  Duck. 

Two  Plack  mounted  American  Eider  Ducks. 

Two  mounted  Blue-Winged  Teal. 

Three  mounted  Green-Winged  Teal. 

Group  mounted  Cooper's  Hawks,  nest,  eggs  and  young. 

Group  mounted  Laughing  Gulls,  nest,  eggs  and   young. 

Group  mounted  Wilson's  Terns  and  young. 

Group  mounted  Meadow  Larks,  nest  and  eggs. 

Group  mounted  White-Throated  Sparrows. 

Mounted  Golden  Eagle. 

Mounted  Blue  Grosbeak. 

Mounted  White-Crowned  Sparrow. 


FISH. 

Plack  of  two  mounted  Brook  Trout. 

Mounted  Sun  Fish. 

Mounted  Lake  Trout. 

Mounted  Ten-and-one-half-pounds  Land-Locked  Salmon. 

Mounted  Black  Fish. 

Mounted  Sun  Fish. 

Mounted  Cod  Fish. 

ANIMALS. 

Mounted  Black  Bear  and  Cub. 
Mounted  Moose  head. 
Mounted  Caribou  head. 
Mounted  Hedge-hog  or  Porcupine. 


PART  II. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY 


By  WITMER  STONE, 

Curator  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  of  Philadelphia. 
Fellow  American  Ornithologists'  Union. 


(11) 


PREFACE. 


The  birds  of  any  State  are  of  more  importance  to  its  citizens  than 
are  any  of  the  other  vertebrates.  It  is  not  their  value  as  food,  since 
the  game  birds  are  few  in  number  and  are  shot  mainly  for  sport,  but 
their  value  as  destroyers  of  insects,  that  demands  our  attention. 

In  nature's  scheme  birds  are  one  of  the  greatest  checks  on  the  in- 
crease of  insect  life,  and  were  they  to  be  removed  and  the  balance 
upset,  noxious  insects  would  increase  at  such  a  rate  that  all  crops  and 
all  vegetation  would  be  threatened  with  extermination.  Anyone  fa- 
miliar with  the  ravages  of  the  Gypsy  Moth,  the  Migratory  Grasshop- 
per, and  other  similar  pests,  can  realize  what  insects  can  accomplish 
when  they  get  beyond  control,  and  when  we  realize  that  one  Chickadee 
eats  in  one  day  30  female  canker  worms,  which  would  have  laid  5,550 
eggs,  and  that  one  Meadow  Lark  devours  at  least  1,500  grasshoppers 
a  month,*  we  begin  to  realize  what  disaster  we  should  face  were  our 
birds  destroyed. 

Our  birds,  moreover,  need  protection,  since  nearly  every  activity  of 
man  tends  to  their  destruction.  Aside  from  the  actual  killing  of  birds, 
which  is  governed  by  law;  the  destruction  of  forests;  the  alteration 
•of  rural  districts  into  villages  and  towns;  the  draining  of  swamps; 
clearing  away  of  underbrush,  etc.,  etc.,  all  indirectly  affect  bird  life, 
driving  many  species  away,  and  decreasing  the  numbers  of  others  by 
reducing  the  area  available  to  them. 

The  best  method  of  protecting  the  birds  is  to  increase  the  interest 
in  birds  and  bird  study  among  the  citizens  of  the  State,  especially  in 
schools,  for  the  more  school  children  who  are  made  familiar  with  the 
value  of  bird  protection,  the  easier  will  it  be  to  ensure  good  legislation 
in  the  future,  and  to  enforce  this  legislation  when  enacted. 

For  this  purpose  the  present  report  has  been  prepared.  The  aim 
has  been  to  present  keys  and  descriptions  that  will  enable  anyone  to 

*  Actual  results  of  investigation  of  birds'  stomachs  by  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture. 

(13) 


14          REPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

identify  birds  that  he  may  see,  to  give  a  brief  sketch  of  the  more 
characteristic  habits  of  the  common  species,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
include  such  facts  and  records  on  the  distribution  of  all  species  as  will 
make  the  report  a  thoroughly  up-to-date  list  of  the  birds  of  the  State. 
The  measurements  have  been  taken  from  Ridgway's  "Manual  of 
North  American  Birds,"  and  in  the  keys  some  points  have  been  taken 
from  this  work  and  from  Chapman's  "Hand  Book,"  though  they  are 
mainly  original.  The  measurements  of  eggs  are  from  Reed's  "North 
American  Birds'  Eggs."  The  facts  upon  which  the  statements  on 
food  habits  are  based  are  from  the  publications  of  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture,  while  the  descriptions  are  drawn  up  from 
specimens  in  my  own  collection  or  that  of  the  Academy  of  Natural 
Sciences  of  Philadelphia,  to  which  institution  I  am  also  indebted  for 
the  use  of  the  volumes  of  Wilson  and  Audubon,  from  which  most  of 
the  plates  have  been  reproduced.  To  the  National  Association  of 
Audubon  Societies,  through  the  president,  Mr.  William  Butcher,  I  am 
indebted  for  the  use  of  a  number  of  excellent  half-tones  prepared  for 
the  Association's  Educational  Leaflets. 

All  the  published  lists  and  papers  relating  to  the  New  Jersey  birds 
have  been  consulted,  as  well  as  manuscript  data  received  from  W. 
BeWitt  Miller,  Samuel  N.  Rhoads,  R.  C.  Caskey,  C.  J.  Hunt,  Henry 
W.  Fowler,  H.  Walker  Hand,  W.  B.  Evans,  George  S.  Morris,  A.  P. 
Willets,  C.  J.  Pennock,  William  L.  Baily,  J.  A.  G.  Rehn,  H.  H.  Hann, 
J.  P.  Callender,  J.  H.  Patterson,  P.  B.  Philipp,  F.  M.  Chapman,  Dr. 
Jonathan  Dwight,  Jr.,  Henry  Hales,  W.  A.  Babson,  Dr.  William  C. 
Braislin,  B.  S.  Bowdish,  W.  H.  Werner,  W.  W.  Justice,  Jr.,  R.  C. 
Harlow,  A.  H.  Phillips,  Dr.  Wm.  E.  Hughes,  Stewardson  Brown,  and 
D.  E.  Harrower,  to  all  of  whom  the  writer  expresses  his  obligation. 
To  Mr.  S.  R.  Morse,  Curator  of  the  New  Jersey  State  Museum,  I  am 
also  under  obligations  for  many  courtesies  and  suggestions. 

WITMER  STONE, 
Academy  of  Natural  Sciences, 

October  31st,  1908.*  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

*  Additional  records  have  been  added  up  to  June  15th,  1909,  as  the  work  was 
passing  through  the  press. 


The   Destruction  and    Protection 
.  of   Our  Birds. 


As  an  introduction  to  our  chapter  on  "Bird  Protection"  we  cannot 
do  better  than  to  quote  from  Mr.  H.  W.  Henshaw,  of  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture.  He  says :  "As  objects  of  human  care  and 
interest  birds  occupy  a  place  filled  by  no  other  living  things,  and  the 
various  movements  to  protect  and  foster  them  would  be  fully  justified 
were  there  no  returns  other  than  aesthetic.  Only  the  thoughtless  and 
the  ignorant  still  hold  that  the  graceful  forms  and  beautiful  plumage 
of  these  masterpieces  of  nature  serve  their  highest  purpose  when 
worn  on  a  hat  for  a  brief  season,  to  be  then  cast  aside  and  forgotten, 
the  plumage  dimmed  and  faded,  the  beautiful  songs  quenched  forever." 

Many  of  man's  activities  as  practiced  in  this  country  tend  toward 
the  extermination  of  bird-life  and  for  this  reason  it  is  of  the  utmost 
importance  for  us  to  encourage  and  foster  every  move  for  their  pro- 
tection in  order  to  counterbalance,  as  far  as  possible,  the  destructive 
tendencies.  The  causes  most  potent  in  destroying  birds  and  the 
results  that  they  have  produced  may  be  grouped  as  follows: 

(1)  Direct  slaughter  of  birds  (a)  for  the  millinery  trade. — The 
absurd  and  barbarous  habit  of  wearing  dead  birds  or  parts  of  them 
for  "ornament"  is  something  in  which  all  true  women  should  be 
ashamed  to  participate.  Every  bird,  every  aigrette  plume,  every  Owl, 
Pelican  or  Eagle  feather,  every  Grebe's  breast,  etc.,  means  the  slaughter 
of  a  beautiful  bird  and  usually  the  starving  of  a  family  of  young,  as 
most  millinery  collecting  is  done  at  the  breeding  season,  when  the 
plumage  is  at  its  best. 

In  New  Jersey  the  women  who  encourage  this  slaughter  by  wearing 
bird  plumage  have  been  responsible  for  the  extermination  of  the 
American  Egret,  Snowy  Heron,  Little  Blue  Heron  and  Least  Tern, 
all  of  which  used  to  breed  regularly  along  our  coast,  but  to-day  are  but 
the  rarest  stragglers  from  the  south.  In  addition  the  Common  Tern 
and  Laughing  Gull  have  been  so  reduced  in  numbers  that  but  a  couple 

(15) 


16    REPOHT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

of  colonies  of  each  are  now  known  on  our  coasts.  Details  of  this 
extermination  will  be  found  under  these  several  species. 

(b)  Slaughter  for  sport.— The  shooting  of  Ducks,  Geese,  Shore- 
birds,  Quail  and  Grouse  has  always  been  regarded  as  legitimate  sport. 
Unfortunately  with  the  increase  of  population  numbers  of  gunners 
take  the  field  who  are  utterly  lacking  in  the  appreciation  of  true 
sport.  First  come  the  Italians  who,  educated  f<5r  generations  in  the 
belief  that  everything  that  flies  is  legitimate  game,  shoot  clown  War- 
blers, Sparrows  and  Chickadees  with  as  much  satisfaction  as  a  true 
sportsman  would  kill  a  Pheasant.  But  little  better  are  the  American 
citizens  boasting  of  their  superiority  but  who  do  not  hesitate  to  shoot 
out  of  season  or  to  slaughter  Clapper  Rails  on  the  fall  tides  when  the 
birds  cannot  escape,  just  to  'see  how  many  they  can  kill.  This  sort  of 
thing  is  bound  to  tell  and  is  now  telling  upon  the  numbers  of  our  wild 
birds. 

We  must  recognize  two  facts  in  dealing  with  game  legislation — first, 
that  the  number  of  gunners  is  vastly  increased;  second,  that  the  num- 
ber of  many  game  birds  is  vastly  decreased.  This  is  due  to  the  fact 
that  the  breeding  grounds  of  many  of  the  Ducks  in  Iowa  and  the 
Dakotas  have  been  entirely  drained  and  cultivated  and  the  birds  de- 
prived of  a  place  to  nest,  and  now,  in  opening  up  the  Saskatchewan 
country  to  railroads  and  settlers,  the  same  thing  is  being  done  there. 
All  the  Ducks  that  bred  in  these  areas  are  decreasing  rapidly,  and  only 
those  that  breed  in  the  far  north,  like  Brant,  etc.,  are  holding  their 
own.  Among  the  shore  birds  the  same  thing  is  seen,  but  here  it  is 
the  unlimited  shooting  all  along  the  line  of  migration  that  is  doing 
the  damage.  The  Golden  Plover  and  Eskimo  Curlew,  for  instance, 
breed  in  the  far  north  and  winter  in  the  Argentine  Republic.  They 
are  shot  by  the  South  American  sportsmen  all  winter  and  are  targets 
for  the  gunners  of  North  America  during  both  the  spring  and  autumn 
flights. 

The  changed  conditions  and  increase  in  gunners  demand  radical 
legislation,  as  the  birds  simply  cannot  exist  for  many  years  under 
present  conditions.  Spring  shooting  must  stop,  and  shooting  must 
be  everywhere  restricted  to  those  who  are  willing  to  shoot  in  moder- 
ation for  their  own  use.  The  marketing  of  wild  game  must  eventually 
stop  or  the  supply  will  be  exhausted. 

Opposition  to  legislation  toward  these  ends  is  simply  due  to  selfish- 
ness on  the  part  of  those  who  refuse  to  look  to  the  future  and  are  only 
interested  in  their  personal  gain. 


DESTRUCTION  AND  PROTECTION  OF  OUR  BIRDS.     17 

The  shooting  of  small  insectivorous  birds  is,  of  course,  wholly 
illegal,  and  should  be  suppressed  everywhere  as  it  usually  is.  The 
recognition  of  the  Flicker  as  a  game  bird  is  utterly  unwarranted.  It  is 
one  of  our  most  important  insectivorous  birds  and  should  be  rigidly 
protected,  as  also  the  Dove  and  Killdeer.  Careless  and  unlimited 
gunning  has  exterminated  the  Wild  Pigeon  and  Heath  Hen,  also 
apparently  the  Eskimo  Curlew,  while  the  Killdeer,  Woodcock  and 
Wood  Duck  are  rapidly  going  the  same  route,  and  Quail  are  only 
perpetuated  by  importing  them  from  elsewhere!  Unless  the  people 
wake  up  to  the  fact  that  changed  conditions  demand  less  gunning  and 
more  restricted  gunning  our  descendants  will  have  nothing  to  shoot. 

(2)  Indirect  influences. — Man  is  so  busy  making  all  the  money  he 
can  from  natural  resources  and  unclaimed  land  that  he  never  stops 
to  consider  what  effect  he  is  producing  on  nature.     The  spread  of 
towns  and  cities,  the  establishment  of  resorts  along  the  whole  sea- 
board, the  destruction  of  forests  and  draining  of  swamps  all  tend  to 
decrease  bird-life.     Some  few  species  like  the  Robin  take  naturally 
to  civilization,  but  many  others  are  driven  away  forever.     From  our 
shore  the  Willet,  Piping  and  Wilson's  Plovers,  Oyster-catcher,  Skim- 
mer, Avocet,  Stilt,  and  other  species  are  gone  forever  as  breeding 
birds,  and  are  indeed  for  the  most  part  rare  even  as  stragglers.     All 
crowded  out  by  the  summer  population  of  our  coast  strip  and  doubtless 
by  the  careless  gunning  of  these  summer  visitors. 

Birds  that  have  disappeared  inland  are  notably  the  Mockingbird 
and  the  Summer  Tanager. 

(3)  Introduced  birds. — The  English  Sparrow  has  played  an  im- 
portant part  in  driving  various  familiar  birds  away  from  our  towns, 
such  as  the  House  Wren,  Bluebird,  etc.    While  the  Sparrows  are  often 
openly  hostile  to  our  native  birds,  the  result  is  no  doubt  mainly  due 
to  the  fact  that  the  Sparrows  are  resident  and  retain  continual  pos- 
session of  all  available  nesting  sites  in  bird  boxes,  buildings,  etc.    They 
have,  so  to  speak,  taken  the  place  of  our  native  birds,  for  as  there  is 
probably  only  support  for  a  certain  number  of  individual  birds  in  a 
given  area  the  Sparrows  have  ousted  the  native  species  in  the  struggle 
for  existence  so  far  as  towns  are  concerned.     Not  content  with  the 
lesson  learned  from  the  Sparrow  we  now  have  the  European  Starling 
increasing  rapidly  and  spreading  all  over  the  State.     He  bids  fair  to 
be  almost  as  big  a  nuisance.     So  too  the  English  Pheasant  is  being 
introduced,  carrying  with  it  a  disease  that  is  said  to  be  fatal  to  our 
native  Ruffed  Grouse. 


18          REPORT  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Experience  has  shown  that  it  is  never  desirable  to  introduce  foreign 
birds  or  animals  as  they  always  have  an  injurious  effect  upon  the 
native  fauna. 

(4)  Egg  collecting. — The  State  should  at  all  times  permit  properly 
accredited  persons  to  collect  specimens  of  birds  or  nests  for  scientific 
purposes.  All  our  knowledge  of  birds,  their  value,  etc.,  has  been 
derived  from  ornithologists  who  have,  of  course,  been  compelled  to 
collect  specimens.  Unfortunately,  however,  there  has  arisen  a  class 
of  so-called  "oologists"  who  imagine  that  by  amassing  a  large  series 
of  birds'  eggs  they  are  advancing  science.  Science  does  not  counte- 
nance this  sort  of  collecting  and  no  good  conies  of  it.  The  continual 
collecting  of  eggs  has  an  ultimate  effect  upon  the  abundance  of  a  bird 
and  this  alone  has  exterminated  the  Fish-hawks  on  Seven  Mile 
Beach  where  they  formerly  nested  by  scores.  The  leading  ornithol- 
ogists of  the  country  some  years  ago  tried  to  discourage  this  practice 
of  excessive  egg  collecting  by  issuing  a  circular,  which  we  cannot  do 
better  than  reprint.  Fortunately  the  use  of  the  camera  in  securing 
a  collection  of  photographs  of  nests  and  young  is  largely  supplanting 
this  fad  of  egg  collecting. 

HINTS  TO  YOUNG  BIRD  STUDENTS. 

It  has  always  been  our  experience  that  young  bird  students  who 
have  just  crossed  the  threshold  of  ornithology  are  glad  to  turn  for  a 
word  of  advice  and  assistance  to  their  older  brethren,  who  have  alread}^ 
made  some  progress  in  the  science ;  and  it  has  always  been  a  pleasure 
for  us  to  give  such  aid. 

In  view  of  these  facts  we  take  this  opportunity  of  offering  a  few 
words  of  counsel  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  beginning  the  study 
of  birds. 

Doubtless  every  beginner  looks  upon  the  formation  of  a  collection 
as  necessarily  the  first  step  on  the  ornithological  ladder ;  and  probably 
a  collection  of  eggs  is  preferred  to  a  collection  of  birds,  because  the 
specimens  can  be  prepared  much  more  readily. 

Soon  you  meet  complaints  from  well  meaning  persons  who  object 
to  robbing  birds'  nests,  and  you  reply  that  you  are  collecting  for 
scientific  purposes.  Very  good;  science  has  need  of  you  all,  but  do 
you  know  what  scientific  ornithology — real  ornithology — is? 

Are  you  not  influenced  to  some  extent  at  least  by  "Oological"  maga- 
zines and  dealers'"'  price-lists  of  eggs,  from  which  you  learn  that  it  is 


DESTRUCTION  AND  PROTECTION  OF  OUR  BIRDS.     19 

important  to  secure  series  of  sets — which  means  hundreds  and  thou- 
sands of  eggs — and  wherein  you  also  learn  the  market  price  of  this 
or  that  egg,  and  value  your  specimens  accordingly — just  as  you  do 
your  posta^v  si  a  nips.  This  is  not  science,  and  the  men  who  advocate 
this  sort  of  collecting  and  who  have  the  largest  collections  of  eggs 
rarely  coin  rilmte  anything  to  our  knowledge  of  birds  and  are  not 
advanrino-  the  science  of  ornithology. 

It'  you  must  have  a  collection,  a  few  sets  of  eggs  (often  a  single 
set )  of  each  species  of  bird  will  answer  all  your  purposes.  There  is 
nothing  to  be  gained  by  the  collecting  of  a  series,  except  the  extermina- 
tion of  the  birds,  which  is  surely  not  your  object. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  vast  amount  of  bird  work  that  you  can 
do  to  help  the  science  of  ornithology  and  gain  a  reputation  for  yourself. 

Tiie iv  a  iv  hundreds  of  facts  regarding  the  distribution  of  birds, 
their  habits,  etc.,  which  are  still  unknown,  and  you  should  make  it 
your  aim  to  become  an  authority  on  the  birds  of  your  region,  and  keep 
records  of  all  your  observations  as  to  migration,  habits,  abundance, 
etc.  You  will  find  ample  opportunity  for  work,  as  every  year  will 
bring  to  light  new  facts,  and  the  more  you  contribute  to  our  knowledge 
of  the  birds  the  more  you  will  see  what  an  insignificant  matter  the 
formation  of  an  egg  collection  is  in  comparison  with  real  ornithology. 

In  the  case  of  birds,  it  is  justifiable  to  shoot  specimens  which  are 
new  to  you  for  purposes  of  identification,  but  you  should  make  the 
best  use  of  the  bird  before  you  kill  it,  so  that  it  will  not  be  necessary 
to  shoot  more  of  the  same  kind  in  order  to  tell  what  they  are.  Your 
aim  should  be  to  learn  to  recognize  birds  at  sight  and  by  their  notes, 
and  you  will  find  you  will  learn  more  of  value  by  a  study  of  the  living 
bird  than,  by  collecting  skins. 

The  exact  knowledge  that  we  now  possess  of  the  coloration,  etc.,  of 
.North  American  birds  and  the  large  collections  available  for  study 
in  the  museums  render  it  entirely  unnecessary  for  every  bird  student 
to  fon n  a  collection.  Those  who  undertake  any  special  line  of  study 
will  soon  learn  what  specimens  are  required  and  collect  accordingly, 
instead  of  amassing  a  large  number  of  specimens  with  no  particular 
object  in  view. 

These  suggestions  are  not  made  with  a  fault  finding  or  sentimental 
feeling,  but  in  a  friendly  spirit  for  the  purpose  of  counteracting  the 
effect  of  the  advice  of  egg  dealers  and  traders,  who  seem  bent  upon 
developing  our  budding  students  into  "eggers"  instead  of  ornithol- 
ogists. 


20          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

We  have  all  killed  birds  and  collected  eggs,  but  not  to  a  useless 
excess,  and  have  always,  we  believe,  made  real  use  of  our  collections 
in  adding  to  the  knowledge  of  birds  and  advancing  the  science  of 
ornithology. 

As  active  members  of  the  American  Ornithologists'  Union  we  are 
only  too  glad  to  encourage  the  study*  of  birds  and  aid  the  beginner, 
but  unless  some  steps  be  taken  against  this  useless  egg  collecting  the 
extermination  of  some  of  our  birds  at  least  will  soon  be  effected. 

We  ask  your  earnest  consideration  of  these  points  and  trust  you 
will  aid  us  by  your  influence  and  example  in  advancing  true  ornithol- 
ogy and  in  discouraging  the  waste  of  bird-life  occasioned  by  this 
"fad"  of  egg  collecting. 

WITMER  STONE, 

Conservator  Ornithological   Section   Acad.  Nat.   Sci.,  Philadelphia. 

J.  A.  ALLEN, 
Curator  Dept.  Vertebrate  Zool.  Amer.  Mus.  Nat.  Hist.,  New  York  City. 

FRANK  M.  CHAPMAN, 

Ass't  Curator  Dept.  Vertebrate  Zool.  Amer.  Mus.  Nat.  Hist.,  New  York. 

ROBERT  RIDGWAY, 

Curator  Dept.  of  Birds,  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

CHARLES  W.  RICHMOND, 

Ass't  Curator  Dept.  of  Birds,   U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

C.  HART  MERRIAM, 
Chief  U.  S.  Biol.  Survey,  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Washington,   D.  C. 

T.  S.  PALMER, 
Ass't  Biol.  Survey,  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C. 

A.  K.  FISHER, 
Ass't  Biol.  Survey,  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C. 

WILLIAM  BREWSTER, 

Curator  Dept.   of   Birds,   Museum    Comp.    Zool.,    Cambridge,   Mass. 

WILLIAM  DUTCHER, 

President  National  Asso.  of  Audubon  Societies,  New  York  City. 

JOHN  H.  SAGE, 

Secretary  American  Ornithologists'  Union,  Portland,  Conn. 


DESTRUCTION  AND  PROTECTION  OF  OUR  BIRDS.     21 

Movements  for  Bird  Protection. — The  State  Legislature  has  from 
time  to  time  passed  laws  protecting  the  insectivorous  birds  and  regu- 
lating gunning.  Scarcely  a  session  passes  but  that  some  measure, 
frequently  a  retrograde  one,  is  introduced,  and  it  behooves  all  who 
are  interested  in  birds  to  pay  careful  attention  to  the  action  of  the 
Legislature  and  use  their  influence  for  or  against  the  bills  according 
to  their  merit. 

The  Biological  Survey  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agri- 
culture has  distributed  a  vast  number  of  publications  by  experts  of 
its  staff  on  the  food  habits  and  value  of  birds.  It  also  maintains  a 
department  of  game  preservation,  under  Dr.  T.  S.  Palmer,  who  keeps 
track  of  all  state  legislation  and  co-operates  with  local  bodies  by  fur- 
nishing advice  and  assistance  in  securing  good  laws. 

Some  twenty  years  ago  there  began  to  be  organized  State  Audubon 
societies  for  the  protection  of  birds,  their  activities  being  chiefly  in 
the  discouragement  of  the  wearing  of  birds  in  millinery,  the  encour- 
agement of  bird  study  in  the  schools,  and  in  advocating  protective 
legislation.  Later  there  was  established  in  New  York  City  the 
National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies,  under  the  presidency  of 
Mr.  William  Dutcher,  which  establishes  active  bird  protection,  dis- 
tributes literature  and  information,  etc.,  in  all  parts  of  the  country. 
The  remaining  gull  colonies  on  the  New  Jersey  coast  are  under  the 
care  of  the  wardens  of  this  association. 

The  main  hope  for  adequate  bird  protection  lies  in  educating  the 
public,  especially  the  children,  up  to  a  proper  realization  of  the 
importance  of  birds  to  humanity. 

New  Jersey  may  well  be  proud  of  her  record  in  the  early  days  of 
bird  and  game  protection,  as  in  1850  her  Legislature  passed  the  first 
State  law  protecting  insectivorous  birds,  while  in  1873,  in  incorpo- 
rating the  West  Jersey  Game  Protective  Association,  she  made  the 
first  provision  for  non-resident  licenses.  Let  us  hope  that  our  State 
may  be  among  the  first  to  awaken  to  the  need  of  still  more  exacting 
laws  which  the  rapid  decrease  of  game  demands. 

The  Value  of  Birds. — The  food  habits  and  value  of  most  of  our 
birds  are  given  under  the  various  species  or  families  in  the  following 
pages,  but  we  shall  summarize  the  more  important  facts  here  for 
easy  reference,  taking  our  data  from  the  publications  of  the  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture. 

Hawks  and  Owls. — With  the  exception  of  a  few  species,  such  as  the 
Sharp-shinned  Hawk,  Cooper's  Hawk,  Goshawk  and  Great  Horned 


22    REPOBT  OF  XEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Owl,  these  birds  feed  almost  exclusively  on  mice  and  grasshoppers 
and  are  of  great  economic  importance. 

Cuckoos. — Entirely  beneficial,  especially  noteworthy  as  destroyers  of 
caterpillars. 

Woodpeckers. — Almost  entirely  beneficial,  food  consisting  of  insects 
of  various  kinds,  mainly  wood-borers,  but  in  the  case  of  the  Flicker 
largely  ground  insects,  including  the  notorious  Chinch  Bug.  The 
Red-headed  Woodpecker  very  rarely  takes  fruit  and  berries'  and  the 
Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker  sometimes  injures  trees  by  girdling  them 
with  holes,  but  such  damage  is  easily  overbalanced  by  the  good  they  do. 

Nighthawks,  Swifts,  Flycatchers,  Swallows,  Vireos,  Warblers, 
Wrens,  Titmice,  Nuthatches  and  Kinglets  are  almost  or  entirely  in- 
sectivorous, and  never  do  damage  of  any  kind.  The  benefit  to  the 
farmer  that  these  birds  render  in  the  destruction  of  noxious  insects  is 
incalculable. 

Native  Sparrows  and  Finches.,  Orioles,  Thrashers,  Thrushes,  Blue- 
birds and  Meadow  Larks,  while  not  wholly  insectivorous,  limit  their 
vegetable  diet  to  wild  berries  and  fruits  and  seeds  of  weeds  and  grass, 
so  that  they  are  wholly  beneficial. 

Crows,  Blackbirds,  Robins  and  'Catbirds  are  the  species  usually 
denounced  by  farmers,  and  often  with  just  cause,  but  we  must  not 
forget  the  fact  that  the  damage  these  birds  do  to  grain  or  fruit  is 
limited  to  a  very  small  part  of  the  year,  while  during  the  other 
months  they  are  beneficial  for  the  most  part.  Devices  for  driving 
them  away  from  crops  or  planting  wild  fruit  trees  for  their  use,  as 
explained  under  the  several  species  in  the  following  pages,  is  far 
wiser  than  extermination. 

Kingfishers,  Herons  and  Fish-hawks  are  often  condemned  by  owners 
of  fish  ponds  but  the  damage  they  do  is  very  slight,  and,  as  Mr.  F.  M. 
Chapman'  says,  "The  value  of  birds  to  man  cannot  be  expressed  in 
dollars  and  cents.  The  Kingfisher  is  far  too  interesting  and  char- 
acteristic a  feature  of  our  ponds,  lakes  and  waterways  to  be  extermin- 
ated. Admitting  that  certain  individuals  of  the  species  are  injurious, 
it  does  not  follow  that  the  whole  race  should  be  condemned." 

The  following  pamphlets  should  be  consulted  by  all  interested  in 
the  preservation  of  our  birds: 

Educational  Leaflets.  Issued  by  the  National  Association  of  Au- 
dubon  Societies,  141  Broadway,  N.  Y. 

How  Birds  Affect  the  Orchard.  F.  E.  L.  Beal,  U.  S.  Dept.  Agricul- 
ture Year-book,  1900. 


INSTRUCTION  AND  PROTECTION  OF  OUR  BIRDS.     23 

Ihnvks  and  Owls  as  I  Mated  to  the  Farmer.  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agri- 
culture fear-book,  1894. 

The  Common  Crow  of  the  U.  S.  Bull.  No.  6,  U.  S.  Dept.  Agr.,  Div. 
Orintli.  Miid  Mam.,  1895. 

Also  numerous  other  pamphlets  issued  by  the  Department  of  Agri- 
culture on  food  of  various  common  birds. 

ll'u-d  Day  in  the  Schools. — The  cultivation  of  an  interest  in  bird 
protection  in  our  schools  cannot  be  too  strongly  encouraged.  Therein 
probably  lies  our  hope  of  success  in  our  efforts  at  bird  protection  in 
thii  IV, lure. 

Some  States  have  regularly  established  bird  days,  some  suggest  the 
combination  of  bird-day  and  arbor-day  exercises.  Whether  any  spe- 
cial day  has  been  set  aside  or  not  teachers  can  easily  provide  for  some 
observance  of  the  kind  during  spring,  when  the  attention  of  the 
scholars  can  be  concentrated  upon  birds  and  their  value.  Essays  on 
common  birds  may  be  read,  drawings  of  birds  copied,  songs  about 
birds  sung,  and  possibly  an  illustrated  lecture  may  be  delivered  before 
the  school. 

The  Audubon  societies  have  literature  to  distribute  and  sometimes 
have  traveling  libraries,  lantern  slides  or  specimens  that  may  be 
obtained.  Detailed  suggestions  may  be  had  from  Miss  Julia  S.  Scrib- 
ner,  Secretary  New  Jersey  Audubon  Society,  510  E.  Front  street, 
Plainfielcl,  or  Mr.  William  Dutcher,  President  National  Association 
of  Audubon  Societies,  141  Broadway,  New  York  City. 

Teachers  will  find  F.  M.  Chapman's  "Bird  Life,"  teachers'  edition, 
a  helpful  book,  while  "Bird  Lore,"  a  bi-monthly  magazine,  the  official 
organ  of  the  Audubon  societies,  is  indispensable.1  Those  more  seriously 
interested  in  the  ornithology  of  the  State  should  obtain  "Cassinia," 
an  annual  devoted  to  the  Ornithology  of  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey 
and  Delaware,  which  gives  a  yearly  summary  of  the  results  of  bird 
study  in  these  States.2  As  further  aids  to  local  bird  study  may  be 
mentioned  the  collection  of  the  State  Museum  at  Trenton,  so  admir- 
ably arranged  by  Prof.  S.  R.  Morse,  and  the  local  collection  at  the 
Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  Philadelphia,  both  of  which  are  open 
to  the  public. 

Specimens  of  birds  sent  to  Mr.  Witmer  Stone,  care  of  the  Academy 
of  Natural  Sciences,  Logan  Square,  Philadelphia,  will  be  identified 
and  queries  answered  so  far  as  possible. 


1  MacMillan  Co.,  Harrisburg,  Penna.     One  dollar  per  year. 

2  Published  by  the  Delaware  Valley   Ornithological   Club,   care   Academy  of 
Natural  Sciences,  Logan  Square,  Pbila.     Fifty  cents  per  copy. 


Distribution  and  Migration. 


All  birds  are  at  home  during  the  breeding  season,  which  usually 
covers  the  latter  part  of  spring  and  early  summer.  At  other  times  of 
year  they  wander  more  or  less  from  this  breeding  area.  In  some 
species  this  wandering  or  migration  is  irregular,  varying  in  extent  in 
different  seasons  according  to  the  scarcity  or  abundance  of  the  food- 
supply.  In  others  it  has  become  a  definite  movement  southward  in 
autumn  and  northward  in  spring,  the  apparent  result  of  an  hereditary 
tendency,  which  may  have  been  acquired  at  the  time  when  our  present 
seasonal  climatic  changes  originated.  Some  of  these  migrations 
extend  over  thousands  of  miles,  so  that  certain  of  our  summer  birds 
of  the  Northern  United  States  pass  the  winter  in  the  tropics  -of  South 
America,  while  some  of  the  Plover  and  Sandpipers  which  breed  within 
the  Arctic  circle  winter  in  the  Argentine  Republic  or  Chili. 

The  movements  of  the  migrating  birds  are  often  very  regular  from 
year  to  year,  so  that  it  is  possible  to  predict  within  a  few  days  when  a 
given  species  of  bird  will  arrive — at  least,  when  the  bulk  or  normal 
flight  will  arrive.  There  are,  of  course,  occasional  stragglers  which 
come  exceptionally  early. 

The  way  in  which  birds  perform  their  extended  migrations  is  a 
matter  of  great  interest,  and  one  concerning  which  we  have  still  much 
to  learn.  We  know  that  there  are  two  classes  of  migrants,  (1)  those 
that  fly  by  day,  and  (2)  those  that  fly  by  night.  The  former  comprise 
most  of  the  birds  which  habitually  associate  in  compact  flocks,  such  as 
Doves,  Horned  Larks,  Crows,  Jays,  Crackles,  Blackbirds,  Cedarbirds, 
Titlarks,  Robins  and  Bluebirds ;  also,  Hawks,  Swallows,  Swifts,  Night 
Hawks  and  Hummingbirds.  The  night  migrants  comprise  all  our 
more  delicate  woodland  birds,  Thrushes,  Warblers,  Vireos,  Tanagers, 
Wrens,  etc.,  as  well  as  Rail,  Woodcock,  Bittern  and  some  Snipe. 

It  is  probable  that  all  birds  have  a  remarkably  developed  sense  of 
direction,  such  as  we  see  in  the  Carrier  Pigeon,  which  enables  them  to 
retrace  a  route  over  which  they  have  once  passed.  Then,  too,  the 
prominent  features  of  the  landscape  may  serve  as  a  guide  to  the 

(25) 


26          REPORT  OF  XEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

migrants  in  shaping  their  course,  for  it  is  well  known  that  mountains 
and  river  valleys  stand  out  distinctly  on  moonlit  nights,  and  it  is  on 
clear  nights  only  that  birds  migrate. 

Xight  migrants  flock  together  during  the  flight,  forming-  an  im- 
mense scattering  host  of  various  species,  which  keep  within  hearing 
of  one  another,  if  not  within  sight. 

It  is  possible  to  hear  the  chirping  of  the  passing  birds  on  a  quiet 
night,  and  they  may  be  seen  by  the  aid  of  a  telescope  directed  toward 
the  full  moon. 

Professor  Cooke  has  recently  shown  that  many  birds  have  as  definite 
winter  homes  as  they  have  summer  ranges,  and  furthermore,  that 
species  which  are  closely  associated  during  the  breeding  season  may 
betake  themselves  to  very  different  regions  in  winter.  For  example, 
the  Black-throated  Blue  Warbler  winters  in  some  of  the  West  Indies, 
passing  southeastward  through  Florida  and  the  Bahamas,  while  the 
Black- throated  Green  Warbler,  which  has  nearly  the  same  breeding 
range,  travels  southwestward  to  Central  America  for  the  winter,  being 
practically  an  unknown  species  in  Florida  and  the  West  Indies. 

From  the  standpoint  of  any  single  locality,  we  may  divide  our  birds 
into  several  classes,  according  to  their  habits  of  migration,  viz. : 

(1)  Residents. — Birds  that  are  with  us  throughout  the  year. 

(2)  Summer  Residents. — Birds  that  nest  with  us,  arriving  from 
the  South  in  the  spring  and  returning  in  the  autumn. 

(3)  Winter  Visitants. — Birds  which  nest  to  the  north  of  us,  but 
come  to  our  neighborhood  to  pass  the  winter,  returning  in  the  spring. 

(4)  Transients. — Birds  which  nest  to  the  north  of  us  and  winter 
to  the  south,  passing  through  our  territory  in  the  spring  and  fall. 

(5)  Accidental   or  Irregular  Stragglers,  which   do  not   normally 
occur  in  our  district. 

It  is  obvious  that  some  birds  may  belong  to  two  classes,  as,  for 
instance,  such  species  as  breed  with  us,  but  winter  just  a  little  farther 
to  the  south.  Some  individuals  of  these  may  occasionally  remain  with 
us  for  the  winter,  and  thus  become  Residents,  while  the  bulk  of  the 
species  are  Summer  Residents.  The  Robin  is  a  good  example. 

It  is  also  obvious  that  in  a  State  with  such  a  long  extent  north  and 
south  as  New  Jersey  possesses,  some  birds  may  breed  in  the  northern 
counties,  but  not  in  the  south,  and  vice  versa. 

The  birds  of  Xew  Jersey  may  be  grouped  as  follows : 


DISTRIBUTION  AND  MIGRATION.  27 


RESIDENTS. 

Bob  White.  Blue  Jay. 

Ruffed  Grouse.  Crow. 

Turkey  Vulture.$  Fish  Crow. 

Marsh  Hawk.  Raven. 

Sharp-shinned  Hawk.  Starling. 

Cooper's  Hawk.  Meadow  Lark. 

Red-tailed  Hawk.  House  Sparrow. 

Red-shouldered  Hawk.  Purple  Finch.t 

Broad-winged  Hawk.  Goldfinch. 

Duck  Hawk.f  Song  Sparrow. 

Bald  Eagle.  Swamp  Sparrow. 

Sparrow  Hawk.  Cardinal. 

Barn  Owl4  Cedar  Waxwing. 

Long-eared  Owl.  Carolina  Wren. 

Short-eared -Owl.  White-breasted  Nuthatch. 

Barred  Owl.  Tufted  Titmouse. 

Screech  Owl.  Black-capped  Chickadee.f 

Great  Horned  Owl.  Carolina  Chickadee. | 

Hairy  Woodpecker.  Robin. 

Downy  Woodpecker.  Bluebird. 

Flicker. 


SUMMER    RESIDENTS. 

Pied-billed  Grebe. t  Killdeer.* 

Laughing  Gull.f  Dove.* 

Common  Tern.$  Osprey. 

Black  Duck.  Yellow-billed  Cuckoo. 

Wood  Duck.  Black-billed  Cuckoo. 

Bittern.  Kingfisher!* 

Least  Bittern.  Red-headed  Woodpecker." 

Great  Blue  Heron. $  Whip-poor-will. 

Green  Heron.  Xighthawk. 

Black-crowned  Night  Heron.*  Chimney  Swift. 

King  Rail.*  Hummingbird. 

Clapper  Rail.  Kingbird. 

Virginia  Rail.*  Great-crested  Flycatcher. 

Sora.f  Phoebe.* 

Black  Rail.  Wood  Pewee. 

Florida  Gallinule.  Acadian  Flycatcher. 

Coot.f  Least  Flycatcher.f 

Woodcock.*  Alder  Flycatcher.f 

Wilson's  Snipe.*t  Bobolink.f 

Upland   Plover.  Cowbird.* 

Spotted  Sandpiper.  Red-winged  Blackbird.* 


*  Winter  occasionally  in  the  southern  counties. 
t  Breed  only   (or  chiefly)   in  the  northern  counties, 
t  Breed  only  in  the  southern  counties. 


28    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Orchard  Oriole.  Black  and  White  Warbler. 

Baltimore  Oriole.  Worm-eating  Warbler. 

Purple  Grackle.*  Blue-winged  Warbler. 

Vesper  Sparrow.*  Golden-winged  Warbler.f 

Savanna  Sparrow*f  Nashville  Warbler.f 

Grasshopper  Sparrow.  Parula  Warbler. 

Henslow's  Sparrow.  Yellow  Warbler. 

Sharp-tailed  Sparrow.*  Chestnut-sided  Warbler.f 

Seaside  Sparrow.  Black-throated  Green  Warbler.t 

Chipping  Sparrow.*  Pine  Warbler.* 

Field  Sparrow.*  Prairie  Warbler.t 

Towhee.*  Ovenbird. 

Rose-breasted  Grosbeak.f  Louisiana  Water  Thrush. 

Indigo  Bunting.  Kentucky  Warbler. 

Dickcissel.  Maryland  Yellow-throat. 

Scarlet  Tanager.  Yellow-breasted  Chat. 

Purple  Martin.  Hooded  Warbler. 

Cliff  Swallow.  Redstart. 

Barn  Swallow.  Catbird.* 

Tree  Swallow.*  Brown  Thrasher.* 

Bank  Swallow.  Mockingbird.* 

Rough-winged  Swallow.  House  Wren.* 

Red-eyed  Vireo.  Short-billed  Marsh  Wren.*f 

Warbling  Vireo.  Long-billed  Marsh  Wren.* 

Yellow-throated  Vireo.  Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher.J 

Solitary  Vireo.f  Wood  Thrush. 

White-eyed  Vireo.  Veery.f 


WINTER  VISITANTS. 

Holboell's  Grebe.  King  Eider. 

Horned  Grebe.  Scoter. 

Loon.  White-winged  Scoter. 

Red-throated  Loon.  Surf  Scoter. 

Razor-billed  Auk.  Purple  Sandpiper. 

Brunnich's  Murre.  Rough-legged  Hawk. 

Dovekie.  Saw-whet  Owl. 

Kittiwake  Gull.  Horned  Lark. 

Glaucous  Gull.  Prairie  Horned  Lark. 

Black-backed  Gull.  Red  Crossbill. 

Herring  Gull.  Redpoll. 

Ring-billed  Gull.  Pine  Siskin. 

Merganser.  Snow  Bunting. 

Green-winged  Teal.  Lapland  Longspur. 

Golden-eye  Duck.  Ipswich  Sparrow. 

Bufflehead.  White-throated  Sparrow. 

Old  Squaw.  Tree  Sparrow. 

*  Winter  occasionally  in  the  southern  counties. 
t  Breed  only  (or  chiefly)  in  the  northern  counties. 
J  Breed  only  in  the  southern  counties. 


DISTRIBUTION  AND  MIGRATION. 


Junco. 

Northern  Shrike. 
Myrtle  Warbler. 
Winter  Wren. 


Brown  Creeper. 
Red-bellied  Nuthatch. 
Golden-crowned  Kinglet. 


TRANSIENT    VISITANTS. 


Pied-bill  Grebe. 

Pomarine  Jaeger. 

Parasitic  Jaeger. 

Long-tailed  Jaeger. 

Bonaparte's  Gull. 

Cory's  Shearwater. 

Leach's  Petrel. 

Gannet. 

Double-crested  Cormorant. 

Red-breasted  Merganser.f 

Hooded  Merganser. 

Mallard. 

Widgeon. 

Blue-winged  Teal. 

Pintail. 

Redhead. 

Scaup  Duck. 

Lesser  Scaup  Duck. 

Ruddy  Duck. 

Snow  Goose. 

Canada  Goose. 

Brant. 

Red  Phalarope. 

Northern  Phalarope. 

Dowitcher. 

Long-billed  Dowitcher. 

Stilt  Sandpiper. 

Knot. 

Pectoral  Sandpiper. 

White-rumped   Sandpiper. 

Least  Sandpiper. 

Red-backed  Sandpiper.* 

Semipalmated  Sandpiper. 

Western  Sandpiper. 

Sanderling. 

Greater  Yellowlegs. 

Lesser  Yellowlegs. 

t'olitary  Sandpiper. 


Willet. 

Hudsonian  Curlew. 

Black-bellied  Plover. 

Golden  Plover. 

Semipalmated  Plover. 

Turnstone. 

Pigeon  Hawk.* 

Yellow-bellied  Woodpecker.* 

Olive-sided  Flycatcher. 

Yellow-bellied  Flycatcher. 

Rusty  Blackbird.* 

Bronzed  Grackle. 

Nelson's  Sharp-tailed  Sparrow. 

Acadian   Sharp-tailed   Sparrow. 

White-crowned  Sparrow. 

Lincoln's  Sparrow. 

Fox  Sparrow.* 

Philadelphia  Vireo. 

Tennessee  Warbler. 

Cape  May  Warbler. 

Black-throated  Blue  Warbler. 

Bay-breasted  Warbler. 

Black-poll  Warbler. 

Blackburnian  Warbler. 

Palm  Warbler. 

Yellow  Palm  Warbler.* 

Water  Thrush. 

Connecticut  Warbler. 

Mourning  Warbler. 

Wilson's  Warbler. 

Canada  Warbler. 

Titlark.* 

Ruby-crowned  Kinglet. 

Gray-cheeked  Thrush. 

Bicknell's  Thrush. 

Olive-backed  Thrush. 

Hermit  Thrush.* 


*  Occasionally  remain  all  winter  in  the  southern  counties. 
t  Ducks  vary  according  to  whether  the  waters  of  bays  and  ponds  freeze  over. 
Many  of  them  may  be  winter  residents  in  some  seasons. 


REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 


IRREGULAR    OR    ACCIDENTAL    VISITANTS. 


(a)   From  the  south  in  summer. 


Gull-billed  Tern.f 
Royal  Tern. 
Caspian  Tern. 
Roseate  Tern/j 
Forster's  Tern.f 
Sooty  Tern. 
Least  Tern.f 
Black  Skimmer,  t 
Greater  Shearwater. 
Audubon's  Shearwater. 
Sooty  Shearwater. 
Wilson's  Petrel.* 
Brown  Pelican. 
White  Ibis. 
Glossy  Ibis. 
American  Egret,  f 
Little  Blue  Heron. f 
Snowy  Egret. | 


Yellow-crowned  Night  Heron. 
Purple  Gallinule. 
Wilson's  Plover.f 
Piping  Plover.f 
Oystercatcher.f 
Black-necked  Stilt.j 
Ground  Dove. 
Black  Vulture. 
Swallow-tailed  Kite. 
Red-cockaded  Woodpecker. 
Red-bellied  Woodpecker.f 
Pileated  Woodpecker.f 
Blue  Grosbeak.t 
Summer  Tanager.f 
Prothonotary  Warbler. 
Cerulean  Warbler. 
Yellow-throated  Warbler. 
Brown-headed  Nuthatch. 


(6)   From  the  north  in  winter. 


Puffin. 

Black  Guillemot. 

Fulmar. 

Cormorant. 

Harlequin  Duck. 

Eider  Duck. 

Goshawk. 


Hawk  Owl. 
Snowy  Owl. 
Evening  Grosbeak. 
Pine  Grosbeak. , 
White-winged  Crossbill. 
Greater  Redpoll. 
Bohemian  Waxwiug. 


(c)    Transients  of  irregular  occurrence. 


Black  Tern. 
Gadwall. 
Shoveler. 
Canvasback. 
Ring-necked  Duck. 
Blue  Goose. 
White-fronted  Goose. 
Black  Brant. 
Whistling  Swan. 
Wilson's  Phalarope. 


American  Avocet.t 
Marbled  Godwit. 
Hudsonian  Godwit. 
Buff-breasted  Sandpiper. 
Baird's  Sandpiper. 
Long-billed  Curlew.  $ 
Golden  Eagle. 
Migrant  Shrike. 
Orange-crowned  Warbler. 
Grinnell's  Water  Thrush. 


*  Petrels  and  Shearwaters  are  regular  summer  visitors  but  do  not  nest  here. 
f  Formerly  bred  in  southern  New  Jersey. 

$  Formerly  nested  in   New  Jersey,  although  in  the  case  of  the  Curlew  the 
record  may  be  open  to  question. 


DISTRIBUTION  AND  MIGRATION.  31 


(d)   Accidental  stragglers. 

From  Europe.  From  the  West. 

European  Widgeon.  White  Pelican. 

European  Green-winged  Teal.  Arkansas  Kingbird. 

Corn  Crake.  Scissor-tailed  Flycatcher. 

European  Woodcock.  Lark  Sparrow. 

Curlew  Sandpiper.  Varied  Thrush. 
Ruff. 


(c)   Species  apparently  extinct  in  the  State. 

Eskimo  Curlew.  Pinnated  Grouse.* 

Whooping  Crane.*  Wild  Turkey.* 

Passenger  Pigeon.* 

Birds  are  limited  in  their  distribution  during  the  breeding  season 
by  the  various  isotherms  which  divide  the  country  into  several  dis- 
tinct life  zones.  These  do  not  run  like  the  parallels  of  latitude,  but 
are  bent  and  irregular  according  to  the  elevation  of  the  country.  A 
mountain  chain  brings  a  cool  climate  with  boreal  birds  and  plants 
far  southward,  while  a  low  open  river  valley  carries  southern  species 
and  a  mild  climate  northward. 

In  Xew  Jersey  the  southern  half  of  the  State  from  Trenton  to  the 
Raman  and  lower  Hudson  valley  belongs  to  the  Carolinian  Zone — 
a  belt  characterized  by  the  presence  of  such  birds  as  the  Cardinal, 
Kentucky  Warbler,  Worm-eating  Warbler,  Blue-winged  Warbler, 
Tufted  Titmouse,  Carolina  Chickadee,  Carolina  Wren  and  Acadian 
Flycatcher. 

Xorth  of  this  we  have  the  Alleghanian  Zone  in  which  we  find  as 
breeding  birds  the  Veery,  Least  Flycatcher,  Redstart,  Chestnut-sided 
Warbler,  Rose-breasted  Grosbeak  and  Bobolink.  The  boundary  is 
not  sharply  drawn  and  some  of  the  Carolinian  species  here  and  there 
press  a  Tittle  farther  north  and  the  Alleghanian  species  a  little  south- 
ward. In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Delaware  river  indeed  some 
Carolinian  species  extend  as  far  as  the  northern  boundary  of  Xew 
Jersey. 

The  Canadian  Zone  which  covers  much  of  the  northern  United 
States  extending  southward  to  the  summits  of  the  Adirondacks, 
Catskills  and  the  Alleghanies  to  North  Carolina,  is  probably  not 


*  Formerly   nested   in   New   Jersey,  although   in   the  case   of  the   Crane   the 
record  may  be  open  to  question. 


32    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

represented  in  New  Jersey  bird  life  or  at  least  very  slightly.  The 
presence  of  the  Brown  Creeper  and  Solitary  Vireo  as  breeding  birds  in 
Sussex  county  is  the  only  evidence,  but  our  knowledge  of  the  birds  of 
northwestern  New  Jersey  is  so  very  meagre  that  there  may  be  other 
Canadian  species  breeding  there — such  would  be  the  Junco,  Hermit 
Thrush,  various  Warblers,  Golden-crowned  Kinglet  and  Winter  Wren.1 

The  species  mentioned  in  these  groups  are  only  the  more  char- 
acteristic ones.  The  detailed  distribution  of  all  will  be  found  in  the 
systematic  portion  of  the  report. 

Other  conditions  affect  the  distribution  of  birds  besides  temperature. 

Many  species  are  strictly  pelagic — never  seen  away  from  the  ocean 
unless  driven  in  by  storms ;  others  are  birds  of  the  sea  beach ;  others — 
notably  the  Seaside  and  Sharp-tailed  Sparrows  and  the  Clapper  Rail 
— are  birds  of  the  salt  meadows. 

The  great  pine-barren  wilderness,  with  its  peculiar  conditions  of 
soil  and  its  strikingly  different  vegetation^  furnishes  favorable  condi- 
tions for  .certain  species  which  are  rare  elsewhere,  as  the  Pine,  Prairk 
Hooded  and  Parula  Warblers,  while  many  other  species — and  southern 
ones,  too — are  entirely  absent,  notably  the  Worm-eating,  Kentucky 
and  Blue-winged  Warblers. 

The  dates  of  arrival  and  departure  are  given  under  each  species,  but 
from  the  fact  that  some  species  are  partly  resident  and  the  migratory 
movement  is  somewhat  straggling,  it  is  difficult  to  select  one  date  that 
may  be  said  to  represent  the  "date  of  arrival."  The  first  individual 
may  be  a  straggler  which  wintered  far  north  of  the  bulk  of  his  kind, 
and  to  take  his  date  of  arrival  would  be  misleading.  Where  we  have 
a  large  number  of  observers  as  about  Philadelphia,  I  have  adopted 
the  plan  of  selecting  the  date  when  a  species  had  arrived  at  a  majority 
of  the  observation  stations.2  This  eliminates  early  stragglers,  and 
might  be  said  to  be  the  date  of  the  first  bulk  movement. 

1  A  trip  taken  June  4th-llth,  1909,  by  Messrs.  S.  N.  Rhoads,  Wm.  L.  Baily 
and  Dr.  Wm.  E.  Hughes  to  northern  Passaic  and  Sussex  counties  showed  none 
of  these  species  present.    The  Canada,  Black-throated  Green  and  Black-throated 
Blue  Warblers  were  the  only  birds  of  Canadian  tendencies  noted  even  in  most 
favorable  spots,  while  several  Carolinian  species  occurred,  notably  in  the  Wall- 
kill  Valley,  but  also  at  Greenwood  Lake.     It  therefore  seems  that  the  Canadian 
element  in  the  New  Jersey  bird  fauna  must  be  regarded  as  slight  and  sporadic. 

2  See  for  details  Cassinia,  1904-1908,  and  especially  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.   Sci., 
Phila.,  1908,  pp.  128-156. 


DISTRIBUTION  AND  MIGRATION. 


33 


An  average  of  the  dates  thus  obtained  during  the  past  six  years 
gives  us  the  following  spring  migration  schedule  of  the  commoner 
species  for  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia,  and  it  is  not  probable  that 
Xew  Jersey  dates  vary  from  these  more  than  a  day  or  two,  even  in  the 
extreme  northern  and  southern  sections  of  the  State. 


March     2.     Bluebird. 

3.  Purple  Grackle. 

4.  Robin. 

8.     Fox  Sparrow. 
Meadow  Lark. 
10.     Red-winged   Blackbird. 

13.  Flicker. 

14.  Killdeer. 

19.     Field  Sparrow. 

21.  Phoebe. 
25.     Cowbird. 

29.  Chipping  Sparrow. 

30.  Vesper  Sparrow. 

April    10.     Yellow-bellied    Sapsucker. 

12.  Ruby-crowned  Kinglet. 

13.  Hermit  Thrush. 

17.     Yellow  Palm  Warbler. 
19.     Towhee. 

Bank  Swallow. 

Rough-winged  Swallow. 

22.  Tree  Swallow. 
Chimney  Swift. 

23.  Barn  Swallow. 

24.  Myrtle  Warbler. 
Brown  Thrasher. 

25.  Spotted  Sandpiper. 

26.  Black  ana  White  War- 

bler. 

27.  House  Wren. 

28.  Grasshopper  Sparrow. 
Maryland   Yellow-throat. 

29.  Solitary  Vireo. 
Catbird. 

30.  Yellow  Warbler. 
Ovenbird. 
Wood  Thrush. 


May        2.     Veery. 

3.  Yellow-throated   Vireo. 
White-eyed  Vireo. 
Water  Thrush, 
liedstart. 
Black-throated  Green 

Warbler. 

4.  Kingbird. 
Great-crested   Flycatcher. 
Parula  Warbler. 
Black-throated  Blue 

Warbler. 

5.  Baltimore  Oriole. 
Orchard  Oriole. 
Yellow-breasted  Chat. 

6.  Rose-breasted   Grosbeak. 
Scarlet  Tanager. 
Red-eyed  Vireo. 
Warbling  Vireo. 
Blue-winged  Warbler. 
Chestnut-sided  Warbler. 
Kentucky  Warbler. 

7.  Indigo  Bunting. 
Magnolia  Warbler. 
Olive-backed  Thrush. 

8.  Bobolink. 

9.  Yellow-billed  Cuckoo. 
Hummingbird. 
Wood  Pewee. 
Worm-eating  Warbler. 

10.  Blackburnian  Warbler. 

11.  Black-billed  Cuckoo. 
Nighthawk. 
Black-poll  Warbler. 

12.  Canada  Warbler. 
Gray-cheeked  Thrush. 


The  Birds  of  New  Jersey. 


Birds  constitute  a  distinct  class  of  vertebrate  or  back-boned  animals, 
but  are  more  closely  related  to  the  reptiles  than  they  are  to  the  mam- 
mals. 

They  are  distinguished  from  all  other  animals  by  their  covering  of 
feathers.  Birds,  furthermore,  are  especially  adapted  for  flight,  the 
forelimbs  being  modified  into  wings,  which  are  composed  mainly  of 
the  long,  stiff  "quill  feathers"  known  as  remiges,  those  attached  to 
the  "hand"  portion  of  the  wing  being  the  primaries  and  those  attached 
to  the  forearm  being  the  secondaries,  while  the  several  innermost  ones, 
often  differently  colored  from  the  others,  are  the  tertials. 

The  bird's  foot  is  also  curiously  modified.  The  heel  is  elevated,  and 
is  usually  held  up  near  the  body,  while  the  long  section  between  it  and 
the  toes,  which  is  covered  with  horny  plates  or  scales  (rarely  feathers), 
is  known  as  the  tarsus,  and  corresponds  to  the  "instep"  of  a  man's 
foot.  The  feet  are  webbed,  elongated,  etc.,  according  to  the  various 
methods  of  progression.  The  bird's  jaws  are  encased  in  horny  sheaths 
forming  the  bill,  which  exhibits  great  diversity  of  shape  and  structure 
according  to  the  varying  food  habits  of  the  different  species. 

Birds  are  hatched  from  eggs  which  are  laid  in  nests  especially  pre- 
pared for  their  reception,  and  are  incubated  by  the  parents,  the  female 
performing  the  greater  part  of  this  labor. 

Existing  birds  comprise  two  main  groups — the  Ostriches  and  their 
allies  on  the  one  hand,  and  all  other  birds  on  the  other. 

The  latter  are  variously  subdivided,  the  groups  represented  in  New 
Jersey  being  distinguished  in  the  following  key,  which  is  to  be  used 
as  the  first  step  in  identifying  an  unknown  bird,  the  page  references 
taking  one  on  to  the  various  family  keys  contained  in  the  main  text. 

(35) 


36          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

KEY  FOR  THE  IDENTIFICATION  OF  NEW  JERSEY  BIRDS. 

All  terms  are  explained  in  the  Glossary  at  the  end  of  the  volume.  All  measure- 
ments are  given  in  inches  and  hundredths  expressed  in  decimal  form.  In  the  descrip- 
tions of  species  only  such  plumages  are  given  as  are  worn  during  the  period  of  the 
year  at  which  the  bird  occurs  in  New  Jersey.  Nests  and  eggs  are  only  described 
when  the  bird  breeds  or  formerly  bred  in  the  State. 

a.  Hind  toe  connected  with  the  inner  toe  by  a  web.  STEGANOPODES,  p.    70 

aa.  Hind  toe  not  connected  by  a  web  (sometimes  entirely  absent). 

6.  Nostrils  tubular.  TUBINARES,  Petrels,  p.    66 

66.  Nostrils  not  tubular. 

c.  Edges  of  the  bill  with  a  series  of  teeth  or  lamellae. 

ANSERES,  Ducks,  etc.,  p.    74 
cc.  Edges  of  bill  not  fringed  with  lamellae. 

d.  Forward  toes  conspicuously  flat  and  lobed 

on  the  side ;  claws  also  flat.  COLYMBID.E,  Grebes,  p.    38 

dd.  Toes  and  Claws  not  flat. 

e.  Three  forward  toes  webbed  to  the  tips. 

/.  No  hind  toe.  ALCIDJE,  Auks,  etc ,  p.    43 

ff.  Hind  toe  present. 

g.  Bill  with  upper  mandible  rounded  or  curved  at  tip. 
LARIN.JS,  Gulls,  and  STERCORARIID^E,  Skuas, 

pp.  49  and  47 
gg.  Bill  sharp  pointed. 

h.  Tarsus  conspicuously  compressed. 

GAVIID^E,  Loons,  p.    41 

hh.  Tarsus  not  flat.  STERNIN^E,  Terns,  p.    50 

ggg.  Bill  compressed,  knife  like  ;  upper  mandible 

shorter  than  lower.  RYNCHOPID^E,  Skimmer,  p.    65 

ee.  Forward  toes  not  fully  webbed. 
f.  Lower  part  of  thigh  naked. 

g.  Hind  toe  well  developed  and  on  a  level  with  the  others. 
h.  Lores  or  eye  region  naked. 

ARDEIDJS,  Herons,  etc.,  p.    98 
hh.  Lores  and  eye  region  feathered. 

RALLIED,  Eails,  etc ,  p.  109 
gg.  Hind  toe  small  and  elevated  above  the  others. 

h.  Lores  and  eye  region  naked.        GRUS,  Cranes,  p.  108 
hh.   Lores  and  eye  region  feathered. 

/'.  Middle  toe  and  claw  nearly  equal  to  tarsus. 

RALLIED,  Rails,  etc.,  p.  109 

ii.  Middle  toe  and  claw  distinctly  shorter  than  tarsus. 
j.  Tarsus  over  3.50. 

RECCRVIROSTRIDJS,  Stilts  and  Avocets,  p.  120 
jj.  Tarsus  under  3.50. 

k.  Sides  of  toes  with  lobes. 

PHALAROPID^E,  Phalaropes,  p.  117 
kk.  Sides  of  toes  without  lobes. 

SCOLOPACID^E,  Snipe,  p.  122 
ggg.   No  hind  toe. 

h.   Bill  under  2. 

CHARADIID^E,  Plovers  (also  ARENARIA,P.  147),  p.  142 
hh.  Bill  ov  r  2.     H^EM ATOPODID^E,  Oyster-catchers,  p.  148 


THE  BIRDS  OF  XEW  JERSEY.  37 

ff.   Lower  part  of  thigh  fully  feathered. 

g.  Bill  strongly  hooked.  RAPTORES,  Hawks,  Owls,  etc.,  p.  156 

(jy.   Bill  not  strongly  hooked. 

h.  Hind  toe  small  and  elevated.  GALTJN^E,  Grouse  and  Quail,  p.  149 

M.   Hind  toe  well  developed  and  on  a  level  with  the  others. 

i.  A  soft  cere  at  base  of  bill.  COLUMB^E,  Pigeons,  p.  153 

ii.   ^'o  cere. 

k.   Length  not  over  3. 75 ;  bill  .60-.  70. 

ARCHILOCHUS,  Hummingbird,  p.  188 
k.  Size  much  larger  or  bill  relatively  much  shorter. 
/.  Tail  feathers  with  projecting  spines ; 

bill  very  short;  mouth  wide.  CH^ETURA,  Swift,  p.  187 

//.  Tail  feathers  without  spines. 

m.   Middle  toe  nail  serrate  on  side.    • 

CAPRIMULGID^E,  Whip-poor-will,  etc.,  p.  185 
mm.  Toe  nails  not  serrate. 

n.  Middle  and  outer  toes  joined  for  over 

half  their  length.          CERYLE,  Kingfisher,  p.  177 
nn.  Toes  not  joined  for  half  their  length. 

o.  Toes  arranged  two  in  front  and  two  behind. 
p.  Tail  feathers  very  stiff  and  pointed. 

PICID^E,  Woodpeckers  p.  178 
pp.  Tail  feathers  not  pointed. 

COCCYZUS,  Cuckoos,  p.  176 

oo.  Toes  arranged  three  in  front  and  one  behind. 
PASSERES,  Perching  Birds,  p.  189 

EXPLANATIONS. 

The  nomenclature  is  that  of  the  forthcoming  third  edition  of  the  American 
Ornithologists'  Union  Check  List.  Although  the  species  are  not  to  be  num- 
bered in  this  work,  I  have  added  the  numbers  of  the  previous  edition  of  the 
Check  List  at  Mr.  Morse's  request. 

Where  two  dates  of  arrival  appear,  the  first  is  the  average  date  of  first  ar- 
rival, that  in  parentheses  the  bulk  arrival  (see  p.  32).  Quotations  from  the 
works  of  Wilson  and  Audubon,  Abbott's  List  (1868),  Turnbull's  (1869)  and 
Thurber's  (1887)  are  usually  not  accompanied  by  page  reference,  but  all  other 
published  records  are  accompanied  by  footnote  references.  Full  titles  of  all 
publications  on  New  Jersey  birds  will  be  found  in  the  Bibliography  on  p.  317. 

W.  S. 


38          EEPOET  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Order    PYGOPODES. 

Diving  Birds. 
Family  OOLYMBID-ffl. 

THE  GREBES. 

The  Grebes  are  notable  as  divers,  and  owe  their  popular  name  of 
Hell-divers  to  their  propensities  in  this  line.  Their  feet  are  set  well 
back,  the  toes  broadly  lobed  (not  connected  by  a  web),  and  both  toes 
and  tarsus  are  exceedingly  flat ;  the  plumage  is  dense,  soft  and  silky ; 
wings  short  and  rounded;  tail  absent — merely  a  few  downy  feathers 
like  the  rest  of  the  plumage.  Three  species  occur  in  the  State : 

a.  Bill  slender,  more  than  twice  as  long  as  deep,  sharp  pointed. 

6.  Length,  *18-20.  HOLBOELL'S  GREBE,  p.  38 

6ft.  Length,  12-15.  HORNED  GREBE,  p.  39 

aa.  Bill  stout,  length  less  than  twice  the  depth,  upper  mandible  curved  at  tip. 

PIED-BILLED  GREBE,  p.  40 

2     Colymbus  holboelli   (Reinhart). 
Holboell's  Grebe. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  1&-20.  Wing,  7.30-8.10.  Above,  black;  below, 
silky  white ;  top  of  head,  dull  black ;  rest  of  head  and  back  of  neck,  ash  gray ; 
neck  rufous  in  front  and  on  sides ;  secondaries,  white. 

Adults  in  winter. — Similar,  but  lacking  the  gray  and  rufous. 

Bare  winter  visitant  along  the  coast  and  bay  shore,  November  to 
March;  more  frequent  in  migrations. 

The  first  record  that  I  find  of  the  occurrence  of  this  species  in  the 
State  is  a  specimen  in  the  Philadelphia  Academy  collection,  shot  at 
Pemberton,  N.  J.?  in  1857,  and  procured  in  market  by  Dr.  J.  C.  Cole- 
man.  Beesley,  Abbott  and  Turnbull  each  give  it  as  rare,  without  any 
definite  record. 

The  following  more  recent  captures  have  come  to  my  notice : 
Delaware  Bay;  winter  of  1877  or  1878.    C.  A.  Voelker. 
Atlantic  City;  found  dead  February  1st,  1883.    Geo.  S.  Morris.1 
Delaware  Eiver, .opposite  Chester;  October,  1891.    Colla.  W.  Stone.1 
Lower  Delaware  Eiver;  February,  1894.    C.  A.  Voelker.1 

1  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  38. 


THE  BIEDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  39 

Kiverton  :  February  21st,  1894.    John  Reese.1 

Delaware  River,  opposite  Tinicum ;  April  7th,  1902.    L.  I.  Smith.2 

Wildwood;  April  1st,  1904.    Win.  L.  Baily. 

In  addition  to  the  inland  record  at  Pemberton,  there  was  one  bird 
obtained  at  Marlton,  April  4th,  1904,  J.  D.  Carter.3  Mr.  Scott  took 
one  at  Princeton  in  1879,4  and  the  species  is  reported  to  have  occurred 
rarely  in  Morris  county  by  Mr.  R.  C.  Casky. 

At  Englewood,  N.  J.,  Mr.  Geo.  E.  Hix,5  has  recorded  the  occurrence 
of  a  single  bird  on  a  pond  on  June  10th,  where  it  was  seen  twice  after- 
ward, disappearing  between  the  24th  and  27th.  Mr.  H.  H.  Hann 
records  a  few  shot  on  the  Passaic  river,  near  Summit.6 


3     Colymbus  auritus  Linnaeus. 
Horned  Grebe,  Hell-Diver. 

PLATE  1. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  12.50-15.  Wing,  5.75.  Above,  blackish  ;  below, 
silky  white,  lower  neck,  breast  and  sides  rufous;  a  dense  tuft  of  ochraceous 
feathers  on  each  side  of  the  head,  throat  and  sides  of  upper  neck,  black ;  sec- 
ondary wing  feathers,  white. 

Adults  and  young  in  winter. — Similar,  but  duller,  and  lacking  the  rufous 
breast  and  ochraceous  plumes. 

A  tolerably  common  winter  resident  on  the  coast  and  bay,  rather 
plentiful  in  migrations,  which  seem  to  occur  in  late  October  and  early 
November,  and  during  March  and  April.  We  have  numerous  records 
in  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia,  April  7th  to  29th.  The  latest  New 
Jersey  record  that  I  have  seen  was  May  3d.  It  occurs  also  regularly 
on  the  Delaware  and  other  streams,  and  on  ponds  in  the  interior. 

This  and  the  following  are  the  birds  popularly  known  among  gun- 
ners as  "Hell-divers,"  and  are  to  be  seen  swimming  about,  generally 
singly,  with  the  body  low  in  the  water  and  the  neck  erect.  They  are 
good  swimmers  and  still  better  divers,  disappearing  instantly  at  the 
discharge  of  a  gun  or  other  cause  of  alarm. 


1  Abst  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  II.,  p.  12. 

2  Cassinia,  1902,  p.  43. 
8  Cassinia,  1904,  p.  54. 

*  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  34. 

5  Auk,  1905,  p.  407. 

"  Wilson  Bull.,  1905,  p.  119. 


40    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

6     Tachybaptus  podiceps  (Linnaeus). 
Pied-billed  Grebe. 

PLATE   2. 

Adults  in  spring  and  summer. — Length,  12-15.  Wing,  4.50-5.  Above,  brown- 
ish black ;  silvery  white  below ;  indistinctly  spotted  with  dusky  and  overlaid 
with  buff  tips ;  throat,  black ;  bill,  white,  crossed  by  a  black  band.  In  winter. — 
Feathers  tipped  witu  buff. 

Young  in  autumn  and  winter. — Similar,  but  without  the  black  on  the  throat 
and  bill,  or  the  dusky  spots  below ;  breast,  buff. 

Downy  young. — Head  and  neck  striped  black  and  white,  a  rufous  spot  on 
the  crown,  another  on  the  nape  and  one  on  each  side  of  the  head ;  back,  black- 
ish, with  four  grayish-white  stripes. 

Nest  in  shallow  water,  a  heap  of  decaying  leaves ;  eggs,  four  to  eight,  soiled 
white.  1.70  x  1.18. 

Chiefly  a  migrant,  occurring  most  abundantly  from  March  15th  to 
April  20th,  and  in  November;  said  to  winter  occasionally. 

This  species  is  common  on  the  ponds  of  the  interior,  and  on  the 
creeks  and  rivers,  but  seems  to  be  rare  on  the  sea  coast.  Beesley1  does 
not  mention  it  as  occurring  on  the  Cape  May  coast,  nor  did  Scott2 
observe  it  at  Long  Beach,  while  Laurent3  has  met  with  it  but  twice 
on  Five  Mile  Beach. 

It  was  reported  to  Mr.  Rhoads  as  a  regular  breeder  on  Lake  Hopat- 
cong,4  and  Thurber5  gives  it  as  a  rather  rare  summer  resident  in 
Morris  county,  but  states  that  he  had  never  found  a  nest,  nor  had  any 
nest  been  recorded  from  the  State  up  to  1906. 

On  May  30th  of  that  year  the  Grebe  was  found  nesting  in  the  New- 
ark marshes,  and  during  the  season  five  nests  were  discovered  by 
Messrs.  Hann,  Callender,  H.  F.  Merriam,  W.  D.  Miller  and  C.  G. 
Abbott.6  Eggs  were  found  as  early  as  May  30th  and  as  late  as  Au- 
gust 5th.  On  June  6th,  1908,  Mr.  R.  C.  Harlow  found  two  nests  in 
the  same  marshes,  one  with  fresh  eggs,  the  other  with  downy  young. 


1  Geol.  Cape  May  county,  p.  145. 

2  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  228. 
8  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  43. 

4  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  38. 

5  Birds  of  Morris  county.    True  Dem.  Banner,  November  10th,  1887. 

6  C.  G.  Abbott,  Auk,  1907,  pp.  1-11. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  41 

Family  GAVIIDJE. 

THE  LOONS. 

Diving  and  swimming  birds  allied  to  the  Grebes,  with  flat  com- 
pressed tarsuSj  but  with  toes  connected  by  webs,  as  in  the  ducks. 
Wings  relatively  small  and  narrow,  making  it  difficult  for  the  bird  to 
get  started  in  flight;  tail  present,  but  short;  bill  powerful,  sharp- 
pointed.  We  have  but  two  species. 

a.  Length,  28-36.  LOON,  p.  41 

aa.  Length,  24-27.  RED-THBOATED  LOON,  p.  42 

7     Gavia  immer  (Briinnich). 
Loon. 

PLATE    3. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  28-36.  Wing,  13-15.  Above,  black,  with  pur- 
plish gloss,  speckled  with  square  white  spots ;  head  and  neck,  black ;  fore  neck, 
with  a  nearly  complete  collar  and  short  jugular  band,  composed  of  white 
streaks  ;  below,  silvery  white. 

Adults  and  young  in  winter. — Dull  blackish  above,  unspotted,  but  edged  with 
gray ;  throat  and  fore  neck,  white,  like  the  rest  of  the  under  parts. 

Common  transient  along  the  coast  and  less  frequent  winter  resident. 
On  Long  Beach,  Scott1  states  that  they  are  most  abundant  during 
April  and  early  May,  and  October  to  November,  and  at  Cape  May 
Mr.  Hand  tells  me  that  they  are  always  more  plentiful  in  spring, 
when  they  occur  in  flocks  during  late  April  and  early  May.  In 
autumn  he  finds  them  more  scattered  and  less  concentrated  in  their 
migration,  so  that  they  seem  less  abundant.  Probably  the  majority 
of  the  flocks  stay  well  off  shore  during  the  migrations,  as  Mr.  Chap- 
man2 states  that  he  observed  a  flock  of  fifty  from  a  steamer  while 
passing  north  off  the  coast  of  Delaware,  May  9th,  1897.  Mr.  Hand's 
latest  date  for  Cape  May  is  May  9th.  Mr.  Fowler3  states  that  they 
occur  frequently  on  the  Delaware,  between  Philadelphia  and  Trenton, 


1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  228. 

2  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  X.,  p.  2. 
8Cassinia,  1903,  p.  45. 


42          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

mostly  in  November.  The  report  furnished  to  Mr.  Rhoads  that  they 
bred  on  Lake  Hopatcong1  has  not  been  confirmed,  though  they  occur 
rarely  both  there  and  on  Budd's  Lake  in  migrations.2 

Like  the  Grebes,  the  Loon  is  an  expert  diver,  and  will  swim  for  long- 
distances  under  water,  or  with  only  his  head  protruding.  With  us 
they  are  birds  of  the  ocean  and  large  bays,  and  only  now  and  then  a 
straggler,  on  his  way  to  or  from  the  northern  lakes  which  form  his 
home,  is  driven  by  storms  to  alight  on  some  small  pond  or  even  on 
the  ground.  In  the  latter  case  he  is  in  a  sad  predicament,  as  a  Loon 
on  land  can  only  flounder  along  in  a  most  ungainly  fashion,  falling 
forward  upon  his  breast  after  every  effort  at  progression,  and  darting 
his  snake-like  neck  here  and  there  with  vicious  lunges. 


11     Gavla  stellata   (Pontoppidan). 
Red-throated  Loon. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  24-27.  Wing,  10-11.50.  Above,  brownish-black, 
more  or  less  speckled  with  white ;  head  and  neck,  black  above,  streaked  with 
white,  a  patch  of  rich  chestnut  on  the  fore  neck  ending  in  a  point  on  the  throat ; 
under  parts,  white. 

Adults  and  young  in  winter. — Above,  dull  slate  color  speckled  with  white ; 
below,  white. 

This  species  occurs  in  practically  the  same  way  as  the  preceding, 
being  most  plentiful  in  migrations.  It  is  apparently  less  common  on 
the  coast,  but  Mr.  Fowler3  states  that  on  the  upper  Delaware  it 
seems  rather  more  plentiful  than  the  larger  species.  Mr.  Scott4  states 
that  he  saw  and  took  a  number  during  April,  1877,  while  at  Long 
Beach.  Mr.  I.  N.  DeHaven  secured  one  at  Atlantic  City,  November  5th, 
1894,5  which  is  the  earliest  coast  record  I  have  found,  while  one  taken 
by  Mr.  Stanart  on  Grassy  Sound,6  June  1.5th,  1904,  is  the  latest,  and 
is,  of  course,  unusual.  In  the  Delaware,  opposite  League  Island,  Mr. 


1  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  39. 

2  Thurber,  Birds  of  Morris  county. 

3  Cassinia,  1903,  p.  45. 

4  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  228. 

5  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  II.,  p.  14. 

6  Burns,  Wilson  Bull.,  1906,  p.  25. 


THE  BIKDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  43 

Ernest  Schluter  saw  a  flock  of  fifteen,  October  20th,  1897,  one  of 
which  he  secured. 

The  mention  of  Colynibus  arcticus  in  Beesley's  Catalogue  of  Birds 
of  Cape  May  County1  undoubtedly  refers  to  this  species.  ( 


Family    ALOIDJE. 

THE  AUKS  AND  GUILLEMOTS. 

These  birds  are  swimmers  allied  to  the  Gulls,  and  with  similar 
webbed  feet,  although  the  small  hind  toe  is  entirely  absent.  They  are 
pelagic,  breeding  in  the  far  north,  and  coming  southward,  more  or 
less  casually,  to  New  Jersey  in  winter. 

a.  Inner  claw  much  larger  and  more  curved  than  the  others;    bill  very  much 
compressed,  as  high  as  long.  PUFFIN,  p.  43 

era.  Inner  claw  not  larger  than  the  others ;   bill  longer  than  high. 

6.  Length,  9  inches  or  less.  DOVEKIE,  p.  46 

66.  Length,  12  inches  or  more. 

c.  Nostrils  not  covered  by  feathers ;    length,  12-13.50  inches. 

BLACK  GUILLEMOT,  p.  44 
cc.  Nostrils  covered  by  velvety  feathers;    length,  15-18  inches. 

d.  Tail  rounded,  feathers  not  pointed.     BRUNNICH'S  MURRE,  p.  44 
dd.  Tail  pointed,  feathers  pointed.  RAZOR-BILLED  AUK,  p.  45 


13     Fratercula  arctica  (Linnaeus). 
Puffin. 

Adults.— Length,  11.50-13.  Wing,  6.  Upper  parts  and  fore  neck,  black; 
sides  of  head,  gray  or  white;  lower  parts,  white;  bill,  one  inch  high  at  base 
and  about  the  same  length,  deeply  grooved. 

Turnbull  says,  "An  extremely  rare  winter  visitant  along  the  coast/' 
while  Warren2  states  that  a  specimen  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Joseph 
Krider  was  killed  about  1876  on  the  Delaware  Eiver,  near  Chester. 
There  is  nothing  more  definite  about  its  occurrence  so  far  south,  and 
there  is  but  one  recent  record  for  Long  Island. 

1  Geology  of  Cape  May  county,  1857,  p.  145. 

2  Birds  of  Pennsylvania,  p.  9. 


4A    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

27     Cepphus   grylle    (Linnaeus). 
Black  Guillemot. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  12-13.50.  Wing,  6.25-7.  Entirely  sooty  black, 
except  the  wing-coverts,  which  are,  for  the  most  part,  white  (the  greater  ones 
with  their  basal  half  black)  ;  feet,  bright  red;  bill,  black. 

Adults  in  winter. — Body  plumage,  white,  except  the  back,  which  is  black, 
broadly  veiled  with  white ;  wings  and  tail  as  in  summer. 

Young  in  first  winter. — Similar,  but  plumage  above  with  much  more  black; 
wing-coverts  and  sides  tipped  with  black. 

Very  rare  winter  straggler  from  the  north.  Krider1  records  the 
capture  of  two  specimens  at  Egg  Harbor,  and  Cassin2  includes  New 
Jersey  within  the  winter  range  of  the  species,  while  Turnbull  says, 
"Occasionally  migrates  as  far  south  as  Cape  May  in  winter."  These 
remarks  are  doubtless  all  based  upon  the  same  specimens. 

The  only  other  record  that  we  have  is  a  single  bird  shot  from  a  flock 
of  Bufflehead  Ducks  on  the  Delaware,  near  Chester,  December,  1898, 
and  presented  to  the  Delaware  Valley  Ornithological  Club  by  Mr. 
Chas.  A.  Voelker.3 

31     Uria  lomvia  (Linnaeus). 
Brunnich's  Murre. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  15-18.  Wing,  7.50-8.50.  Upper  parts  uniform, 
sooty  black ;  secondary  wing  feathers  tipped  with  white ;  neck  in  front  rather 
browner  than  the  back ;  rest  of  lower  parts,  white. 

Adults  in  winter. — Throat,  fore  neck  and  sides  of  head,  white. 

Young  in  first  winter. — Similar,  but  sides  of  head  dusky,  and  breast  slightly 
mottled  with  dusky. 

Apparently  a  few  occur  every  year  off  the  coast  in  winter,  and  in 
some  seasons  they  are  rather  plentiful. 

The  earliest  record  that  I  can  find  is  a  specimen  probably  shot  in 
New  Jersey,  procured  in  market  at  Philadelphia  in  1840,  and  pre- 
served in  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences.  Other  coast  records  are : 


1  Field  Notes,  p.  84. 

2  Baird,  Cassin  &  Lawrence,  Birds  of  N.  A.,  p.  912. 
8  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  III.,  p.  10. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  45 

Abundant  off  Sandy  Hook,  December,  1863  (C.  C.  Abbott) ;  several 
shot  at  Perth  Amboy,  January,  1890  ;*  one  shot  on  Great  Bay,  seven 
miles  from  Absecon,  early  in  1884  (W.  J.  Sherratt2),  and  another 
Atlantic  City,  January,  1899  (Dr.  J.  F.  Prendergast3 ) .  I  have  also 
heard  of  a  number  of  other  captures  which  must  have  related  to  this 
species. 

On  the  Delaware  River  it  was  reported  by  Mr.  C.  A.  Voelker,  in 
1894,4  to  be  of  occasional  occurrence,  while  on  December  15th  and 
16th,  1897,  several  flocks  of  fifteen  to  twenty  birds  were  seen  near 
Beverly,  N.  J.,  by  Mr.  J.  Harris  Reed,5  and  several  secured,  while 
January  llth,  1901,  another  was  killed  opposite  Byberry. 

In  the  interior  Mr.  Babson6  records  one  taken  at  Princeton  Novem- 
ber 25th,  1899,  by  C.  F.  Silvester,  and  another  at  Cranbury,  in  the 
same  vicinity,  December  16th,  1897.  He  also  tells  me  of  another  on 
the  reservoir  at  Orange,  December  24th,  1899. 

It  was  formerly  supposed  that  U.  troile  also  occurred  off  our  coast, 
and  Mr.  H.  Bryant7  states,  with  some  surprise,  that  Cassin  considered 
the  present  species  to  be  the  only  one  found  off  the  New  Jersey  coast. 
Subsequent  experience  seems  to  have  confirmed  his  view. 


32     Alca  torda  Linnaeus. 
Razor-billed  Auk. 

Adults  in  spring —Length,  15-18.  Wing,  8-8.50.  Plumage  like  that  of  Uria 
lomvia,  but  with  a  white  line  from  the  eye  to  the  bill ;  bill,  black,  crossed  by  a 
white  bar. 

Adults  in  winter. — Like  winter  plumage  of  Uria  lomvia,  but  more  white  on 
the  sides  of  the  head. 

Young  in  first  winter. — Similar,  but  bill  smaller  without  the  grooves,  and 
white  bar. 

Irregular  winter  visitant.  Some  are  probably  to  be  found  off  the 
coast  every  winter.  Young  birds  so  closely  resemble  the  preceding 
species  that  they  are  constantly  confused. 

1  J.  K.  L.,  Forest  and  Stream,  January  15th,  1890,  p.  511. 

2  O.  and  O.,  1884,  p.  48. 

3  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  III.,  p.  10. 

4  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  40. 

5  Auk,  1897,  p.  202. 

6  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  34. 

7  Proc.  Bost.  Soc.,  N.  H.,  VIII.,  p.  142. 


46    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

A  specimen  in  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  obtained  in  the 
Philadelphia  market  in  1856,  was  probably  taken  in  New  Jersey,  and 
is  the  earliest  record  with  which  I  am  acquainted.  Cassin,  in  18 58,1 
perhaps  on  the  strength  of  this  capture,  includes  New  Jersey  in  its 
winter  range.  There  is  only  one  record  for  the  Delaware,  a  specimen 
shot  at  Pennsgrove,  November,  18 9 1.2 

The  other  records  that  I  have  found  are  as  follows : 
Long  Beach;  February  7th,  1878;  one  shot.    W.  E.  D.  Scott.3 
Cape  May  county    (probably  Five   Mile  Beach) ;    January   20th. 
1880.    Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott.4 

Grassy  Sound;  February,  1891;  three  seen  several  times.  P.  Lau- 
rent.5 

Ocean  City;  January  10th,  1901;  one  shot.    Mr.  Schermerhorn.6 
Sea  Isle  City;  January  23d,  1909;  several  seen;  one  shot  by  Thos. 
Mitchell ;  obtained  by  W.  J.  Fox.7 


34     Alle  alle   (Linnaeus). 
Dovekie,  Little  Auk. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  7.25-9.  Wing,  4.50.  Above,  black;  head,  neck 
and  chest,  sooty  brown;  rest  of  under  parts  and  tips  of  secondaries,  white; 
scapulars  streaked  with  white. 

Adults  in  winter. — Similar,  but  throat  and  sides  of  neck  white. 

Young  in  first  winter. — Similar,  but  duller,  with  smaller  bill. 

An  irregular  winter  visitant  along  the  coast,  and  occasionally  up 
the  bay.  Breeds  on  the  rocky  Arctic  coasts.  The  earliest  New  Jersey 
record  is  the  one  referred  to  by  Ord  in  the  ninth  volume  of  the  Ameri- 
can Ornithology,  which  "was  killed  at  Great  Egg  Harbor  in  the  month 
of  December,  1811,  and  was  sent  to  Wilson  as  a  great  curiosity." 

Turnbull  says  it  is  shot  occasionally  at  Egg  Harbor  and  on  the 
coast,  and  Krider  (Field  Notes)  took  two  on  the  inlet  at  Atlantic 
City  November,  1874,  but  there  is  no  other  definite  record  until  1879, 


1  Birds  of  North  America,  p.  901. 

2  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  I.,  p.  12. 

3  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  228. 
*  Colin.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila. 

5  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  43. 

6  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  46. 

7  Colin.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  47 

when  Scott  states  that  he  had  procured  many  specimens  during  the 
past  four  winters  at  Long  Beach.1  The  winter  of  1878-9  seems  to 
have  been  a  great  season  for  these  birds.  Mr.  C.  A.  Voelker  took  one 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Schuylkill  and  four  others  in  the  Delaware,  oppo- 
site Tinicum.  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  shot  one  in  Cape  May  county  De- 
cember 17th,2  another  was  taken  at  Atlantic  City  about  the  end  of 
November,3  and  another  was  found  in  the  woods  near  Camden  in  an 
exhausted  condition  early  in  December.4 

Since  then  there  are  but  few  records.  One  was  shot  at  Pennsgrove, 
on  the  Delaware,  in  November,  1891  ;5  another  at  Cape  May,-  Novem- 
ber, 1904  (H.  W.  Hand),6  while  one  was  seen  with  other  sea  birds 
ten  to  twenty  miles  off  Long  Branch  December  31st,  1904.7  A  single 
bird  was  taken  near  West  Creek,  Ocean  county,  January  19th,  1909, 
bv  Joshua  Parker.2 


Order   LONGIPENNES. 

Long- winged  Swimmers. 
Family   STERCORARIID-ffi. 

THE  JAEGERS. 

The  Jaegers  differ  from  the  Gulls  mainly  in  their  hooked  upper 
mandible  and  in  the  presence  of  a  sheath,  which  covers  it  at  the  base, 
overhanging  the  nostrils.  These  birds  are  parasitic  in  their  habits, 
pursuing  the  smaller  Gulls  and  compelling  them  to  disgorge  for  their 
benefit  the  fish  that  they  have  swallowed.  They  are  pelagic,  and  occur 
on  the  fishing  banks  off  shore,  breeding  in  the  far  north. 

1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  228. 

2  Colin.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Philadelphia. 

3  Collins  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  236. 

4  Trotter  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  236. 
8  Voelker  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  I.,  p.  12. 

6  Cassinia,  1905,  p.  59. 

7  Stackpole  &  Wiegman,  Bird  Lore,  1905,  pp.  27,  28. 


48          KEPOBT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

a.  Length  of  bill,  1.45-1.75.  POMARINE  JAEGER,  p.  48 

oo.  Length  of  bill,  1.10-1.30. 

6.  Length  of  nasal  shield  greater  than  distance  from  its  end  to  the  tip  of 

the  upper  mandible.  PARASITIC  JAEGER,  p.  48 

66.  Length  of  nasal  shield  less  than  distance  from  its  end  to  the  tip  of  the 

upper  mandible.  LONG-TAILED  JAEGER,  p.  49 


36     Stercorarius  pomarinus    (Temminck). 
Pomarine  Jaeger. 

Adults.— Length,  20-23.  Wing,  13.50-14.  Above,  dark  slaty ;  wing  feathers 
and  tail,  black ;  head,  black ;  collar  round  the  hind  neck  and  whole  side  of  neck 
white,  tinged  with  buff  or  yellow ;  under  parts,  white,  except  abdomen  and 
under  tail-coverts,  which  are  slaty  gray ;  sometimes  the  whole  breast  is  mot- 
tled with  dusky,  and  the  under  tail-coverts  with  white.  There  is  also  a  dusky 
phase  in  which  the  whole  plumage  is  sooty  gray. 

Young  in  first  autumn  are  dark  gray  banded  with  buff. 

Apparently  occurs  well  off  shore,  with  more  or  less  regularity,  in 
spring  and  fall,  very  rarely  coming  in  to  the  coast. 

Mr.  Scott  secured  two  on  the  bay  at  Long  Beach,  December,  1876,1 
and  another  was  shot  on  the  Delaware,  at  Andalusia,  October,  1898, 
by- Mr.  Chas.  Vansciver.2 

Mr.  W.  L.  Baily  describes  three  birds  seen  at  Ocean  City,  Novem- 
ber 9th,  1895,  which  were  probably  of  this  species. 


37     Stercorarius  parasiticus  (Linnaeus). 
Parasitic    Jaeger. 

. — Length,  16-21.  Wing,  12-13.50.  Similar  in  all  plumages  to  the 
Pomarine  Jaeger,  but  smaller  and  rather  lighter  colored;  breast,  dull  gray, 
never  mottled. 

Regular  migrant  off  shore  with  the  preceding.  Mentioned  by  Turn- 
bull  as  of  rare  occurrence,  but  there  is  no  definite  New  Jersey  record 
until  March,  1892,  when  Mr.  J.  F.  Brown3  examined  one  killed  by 


1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  227. 

2  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  III.,  p.  8.    Colin.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila. 

3  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  II.,  p.  3. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  49 

fishermen  at  Atlantic  City.    Subsequently  Mr.  C.  A.  Voelker1  reported 
one  seen  at  Stone  Harbor  May  27th,  1901. 

Audubon,  under  date  of  "May,  1829,  at  Great  Egg  Harbour,"  men- 
tions a  Lestris  [i.  e.,  Jaeger]  pursuing  the  Black-backed  Gull,  but  it 
is  not  clear  whether  the  incident  occurred  there  or  not,  but  from  the 
date  it  seems  impossible. 


38     Stercorarius  longicaudus  Vieillot. 
Long-tailed  Jaeger. 

Adults.— Length,  20-23.  Wing,  11.50-12.75.  Similar  to  the  light  phase  of 
the  preceding,  but  with  central  tail  feathers  much  more  elongated  (10-14)  and 
proportions  of  bill  different.  (See  key.) 

Apparently  occurs  with  the  other  species  off  shore.  Not  yet  re- 
ported on  the  coast. 

The  only  record  of  this  species  consists  of  two  individuals  seen  by 
Mr.  Chapman  from  a  vessel,  80  miles  off  Barnegat,2  May  6th,  1894. 


Family  LARID-ffi. 

THE  GULLS  AND  TERNS. 

Sea  birds  with  webbed  feet  and  strong  wings.  The  differences  be- 
tween the  Gulls  and  Terns  are  not  very  pronounced,  but  in  the  New 
Jersey  species  the  Gulls  have  the  upper  mandible  curved  or  rounded 
at  the  tip,  while  in  the  Terns  the  bill  is  sharp  pointed.  Our  Gulls, 
moreover,  have  a  square  tail,  while  the  Terns  have  it  more  or  less 
forked.  Gulls  average  larger  in  size  than  the  Terns,  but  the  Caspian 
Tern  exceeds  many  of  the  smaller  Gulls. 


1  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  50. 

2  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  No.  VII.,  p.  3. 


50    REPORT  OF  XEW.  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

a.  Upper  mandible  curved  at  tip,  tail  square.  ( GULLS) 

6.  Size,  large;    wing,  16.50-19.50. 
c.  Head  and  under  parts  white. 

d.  Primaries  without  dark  subterrninal  areas ;    mantle  very  pale. 

GLAUCOUS  GULL,  p.  51 

dd.  Primaries  with  dark  subterminal  spots  and  white  tips. 
e.  Mantle  dark  slaty,  almost  black. 

BLACK-BACKED  GULL,  p.  52 

ce.  Mantle  pearl  gray.  HERRING  GULL,  p.  53 

cc.  Head  and  under  parts  dusky. 

YOUNG  HERRING  AND  BLACK-BACKED  GULLS,  pp.  52-53 
&&.  Size,  medium ;    wing,  13.50-15.50. 

c.  Hind  toe  absent,  or  only  a  rudiment.  KITTIWAKE,  p.  51 

cc.  Hind  toe  present. 

d.  Bill  with  a  transverse  black  band.    RING-BILLED  GULL,  p.  54 
dd.  Bill  entirely  red.  LAUGHING  GULL,  p.  55 

ddd.  Bill  dusky. 

e.  Back  uniform  slate.  LAUGHING  GULL,  p.  55 

ce.  Back  brown  or  mottled. 

/.  Base  of  tail  feathers  white. 

YOUNG  RING-BILLED  GULL,  p.  54 
if.  Base  of  tail  feathers  gray. 

YOUNG  LAUGHING  GULL,  p.  55 

&66.  Size,  small ;    wing,  10.25.  BONAPARTE'S  GULL,  p.  56 

aa.  Upper  mandible  shaup  pointed  like  the  lower;    tail  forked.  (TERNS) 

1).  Wing,  12.50-17.50. 

c.  Tail  less  than  half  as  long  as  the  wing.  CASPIAN  TERN.  p.  57 

cc.  Tail  more  than  half  as  long  as  the  wing. 

d.  Bill  red  or  orange.  ROYAL  TERN,  p.  57 

dd.  Bill  black,  tipped  with  yellow.  CABOT'S  TERN,  p.  58 

66.  Wing,  9.25-12. 

c.  Upper  parts  black,  lower  parts  white.  SOOTY  TERN,  p.  63 

cc.  Upper   parts   pearl,    sometimes   mottled   with    dusky,   crown   often 
glossy  black. 

d.  Both  webs  of  outer  tail  feathers  white. 
e.  Under  parts  white. 

f.  Outer  web  of  outermost  primary  black. 

ROSEATE  TERN,  p.  60 
//.  Outer  web  of  outermost  primary  silvery  gray. 

GULL-BILLED  TERN,  p.  56 

ee.  Under  parts  pearl,  head  white.       TRUDEAU'S  TERN,  p.  58 
dd.  Only  one  web  of  outer  tail  feathers  white. 

e.  Outer  web  white.  FORSTER'S  TERN,  p.  59 

ee.  Inner  web  white. 

f.  Dark  band  on  inner  web  of  outer  primary  deep  black 

and  .20  in.  wide.  COMMON  TERN,  p.  61 

ff.  Dark  band  on  inner  web  of  outer  primary  duller  and 

only  .12  in.  wide.  ARCTIC  TERN,  p.  59 

Ibb.  Wing,  6-8.25. 

c.  Tail  white.  LEAST  TERN,  p.  62 

cc.  Tail  slaty  gray.  BLACK  TERN,  p.  64 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  51 

40     Rissa  tridactyla    (Linnaeus). 
Kittiwake. 

Adults.— Length,  16-17.50.  Wing,  12.25.  Back  and  wings,  pearl  gray  ;  head, 
neck,  under  parts  and  tail,  white;  outer  web  of  outer  primary  and  terminal 
part  of  first  five  primaries,  black  ;  third  to  fifth  sometimes  with  white  tips. 
Head  in  winter  washed  with  gray,  and  a  dusky  spot  around  the  eye. 

This  gull  probably  occurs  regularly  well  off  shore  in  winter,  espe- 
cially about  the  fishing  banks.  Turnbull  says  it  is  "rather  rare  along 
the  coast/'  and  Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads  told  me  in  1890  that  it  had  been 
seen  off  the  coast  at  Atlantic  City.  Mr.  W.  H.  Werner  informed  me 
that  in  midwinter,  1894-5,  he  obtained  a  number  of  specimens  from 
fishermen  who  went  out  to  the  banks.  Subsequently,  he  tells  me,  they 
have  been  seen  every  fall  in  varying  numbers,  most  numerous  in  1898. 
Mr.  Rehn  reported  one  obtained  at  the  same  place  January,  1896. 1 
Messrs.  Stackpole  and  Wiegman  report  seventy-four  adults  and  thirty- 
seven  immature  observed  December  31st,  1904,  from  ten  to  twenty-five 
miles  off  Long  Branch,2  and  Messrs.  Stackpole  and  Rogers  fifteen  in 
the  same  vicinity  December  27th,  1908. 3  One  specimen,  mounted  by 
Mr.  C.  A.  Voelker  in  November,  1893,  was  said  to  have  been  shot  in 
the  interior  of  New  Jersey.4 

42     Larus  hyperboreus  Gunnerus. 
Glaucous  Gull. 

Adults. — Length,  26-32.  Wing,  17-18.50.  Above,  pale  pearl  gray  on  the  back 
and  wings,  rest  of  plumage  pure  white ;  head  and  neck  faintly  streaked  with 
gray. 

Young  in  different  stages  are  pale  brownish-gray  with  buffy  edgings,  becom- 
ing more  or  less  pearl  and  white ;  wing  feathers  varying  from  pale  gray  to  white. 

A  rare  winter  visitant  along  the  northern  part  of  the  coast. 
There  is  no  mention  of  this  species  in  any  of  the  New  Jersey  lists, 
but  in  the  collection  of  the  late  Dr.  S.  W.  Woodhouse  there  was  a 


1  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  46. 

2  Bird  Lore,  1905,  pp.  27,  28. 

3  Bird  Lore,  1909,  p.  23. 

4  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  42. 


52          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

specimen  taken  many  years  ago  labeled  New  Jersey.  Mr.  Chapman1 
states  that  several  have  been  killed  on  the  lower  Hudson  River,  and 
Mr.  J.  Richardson2  reports  one  at  Sing  Sing,  while  Messrs.  Stackpole 
and  Wiegman3  saw  two,  from  ten  to  twenty-five  miles  off  Long  Branch, 
December  31st,  1904. 


47     Larus  marinus  Linnaeus. 
Great  Black-backed  Gull. 

Adults. — Length,  28-31.  Wing,  18-19.50.  Back  and  wings,  blackish  slate; 
rest  of  plumage,  white ;  wing  feathers  with  white  tips. 

Young  in  first  winter. — Similar  to  the  young  Herring  Gull,  but  darker. 

A  rather  rare,  but  regular,  winter  visitant  along  the  coast,  appar- 
ently more  plentiful  off  New  York  Harbor  than  farther  south.  It  is 
mentioned  by  Turnbull  as  not  uncommon,  and  Scott  found  it  quite 
common  in  the  winter  of  1876-7  at  Long  Beach.  I  have  the  follow- 
ing records,  although  many  other  specimens  have  been  shot : 

Cape  May  county  (probably  Five  Mile  Beach) ;  three  seen,  one 
shot:  January  29th,  1879.  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott.4 

Atlantic  City;  two  seen  during  blizzard,  March  13th,  1888.  S.  N. 
Rhoads.5 

Tuckerton;   March,  1894;  one  shot  by  Mr.  Jillson.4 

Tuckerton;   February  1st,  1896 ;   several  seen.    Mr.  Jillson.6 

Stone  Harbor;   January  llth,  1901;   one  shot.7 

Anglesea;   February  5th,  1904.8 

Krider  states  that  he  shot  one  at  Barnegat,  and  has  seen  specimens 
shot  on  the  Delaware,9  and  Mr.  C.  G.  Abbott  saw  one  on  Overpeck 
Creek,  Leonia,10  February  26th,  1905. 


1  Birds  of  the  Vicinity  N.  Y.  City,  p.  135. 

2  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.  N.  Y.,  1890,  p.  2. 

3  Bird  Lore,  1905,  pp.  27,  28. 

*  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  43. 

5  Auk,  1888,  p.  318. 

6  Rhoads  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  II.,  p.  20. 

7  Stone,  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  45. 

8  Cassinia,  1904,  p.  54. 

9  Field  Notes,  p.  79. 

10  Abst.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  XVII.,  p.  7. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  53 

51     Larus  argentatus  Pontoppidan. 

Herring  Gull. 
PLATE  4,  FIG.  2. 

Adults. — Length,  23-26.  Wing,  16.50-17.50.  Above,  back  and  wings  deep 
pearl  gray ;  rest  of  plumage  white,  except  the  six  outer  primaries,  which  are 
more  or  less  black  terminally,  all  but  the  outer  two  tipped  with  white.  Younger 
birds  have  the  head  and  neck  streaked  with  dusky. 

Young  in  first  winter,  sooty  gray ;  throat  and  under  tail-coverts  streaked 
with  white ;  back  edged  with  buff ;  wing  feathers  and  tail,  blackish. 

Abundant  winter  visitant  along  the  coast  and  up  the  rivers ;  arrives 
September  25th,  departs  April  15th.  Some  remain  at  Philadelphia 
until  April  30th,  and  at  Cape  May  until  May  15th. 

The  Herring  Gull  is  our  most  abundant  Gull  all  winter  long.  It 
may  be  seen  on  the  Delaware  as  far  north  as  Philadelphia,  and  less 
abundantly  farther  up,  and  also  on  the  Hudson  and  Passaic,  flying 
about  over  the  water  searching  for  any  scraps  of  food  that  may  bo 
floating  past.  Old  and  young  in  various  stages  of  white  and  dusky 
plumage  are  mingled  together.  On  the  coast,  where  clams  are  washed 
up  along  the  beach,  the  Gulls  gather  by  thousands  to  feed  upon  them. 
Seizing  a  clam  in  its  bill,  one  of  the  birds  will  ascend  about  twenty 
feet,  and  then  let  it  drop  on  the  hard  beach,  where  it  breaks,  so  that 
the  contents  are  exposed.  As  it  breaks  there  is  often  a  rush  of  more 
lazy  individuals,  who  not  infrequently  make  off  with  the  prize,  amid 
a  general  chorus  of  harsh  guttural  cries.  Frequently  we  see  the  Gulls 
sitting  in  numbers  on  the  ocean,  floating  peacefully  just  beyond  the 
breakers,  or  at  dusk  they  may  be  seen  gathering  to  roost  back  on  the 
sandy  patches  of  the  salt  meadows,  their  white  breasts  conspicuous  in 
the  rays  of  the  setting  sun. 

During  migration  or  after  storms  they  may  sometimes  be  seen 
inland,  flying  high  over  head.  One  was  taken  at  Whippany,  Morris 
county  (Thurber),  May  2d,  1886,  and  one  was  seen  at  Budd's  Lake, 
September,  1903  (Caskey).  Mr.  Babson1  records  one  taken  at  Prince- 
ton, March  17th,  1900. 

These  beautiful  birds  deserve  every  measure  of  protection.  They 
are  desirable  scavengers  in  our  harbors,  and  do  no  harm  whatever, 
while  they  are  of  absolutely  no  use  to  the  thoughtless  gunner  who 
kills  them.  Their  use  for  millinery  purposes  is  happily  forbidden 
by  law. 


1  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  35. 


54          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

54     Larus  delawarensis  Ord. 
Ring-billed  Gull. 

Adults. — Length,  18-20.  Wing,  14-15.50.  Back  and  wings,  pearl  gray; 
outer  primary  mainly  black,  this  color  decreasing  in  successive  feathers  to  the 
sixth ;  two  outer  ones  with  subterminal  white  patches,  the  others  tipped  with 
white ;  rest  of  the  plumage,  white ;  bill,  greenish-yellow  crossed  by  a  black 
band ;  head  streaked  with  dusky  in  winter. 

Young  in  first  winter  sooty,  edged  above  with  white ;  white  below  more  or 
less  mottled  with  sooty ;  wings,  dull  black ;  tail,  white,  with  a  dusky  terminal 
band. 

First  breeding  plumage. — Mantle  gray,  otherwise  like  the  preceding. 

There  seems  to  be  considerable  difference  of  opinion  on  the  abun- 
dance of  this  Gull.  Turnbull  regarded  it  as  abundant:  Scott  says  it 
is  the  most  plentiful  species  after  the  Herring  Gull,  and  Laurent  says 
it  is  equally  abundant  at  Five  Mile  Beach. 

Krider  calls  it  rare,  and  Dutcher  rather  uncommon  (on  Long 
Island)  ;  Braislin  calls  it  plentiful  (on  Long  Island)  in  October,  but 
says  it  does  not  remain  after  November  17th.  Personally,  I  have  not 
been  on  the  beach  during  the  migration,  and  have  seen  the  species  in 
midwinter  but  once,  at  Cape  May,  January,  1892. 

The  type  specimen  was  obtained  on  the  Delaware,  below  Philadel- 
phia, about  1815.  The  only  other  records  of  capture  that  I  find  are 
as  follows: 

Delaware  River;  November  1st,  1890;  W.  L.  Baily.  Stone  Har- 
bor; October  3d,  1900;  Dr.  J.  F.  Prendergast.1  Atlantic  City;  June 
20th,  1900;  Colin.  W.  Stone.1  Two  seen  at  Princeton,  November, 
1899 ;  W.  A.  Babson.2 

Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads  saw  several  on  the  Delaware,  at  Camden,  Febru- 
ary 17th  to  27th,  1895,8  and  Mr.  R.  F.  Miller4  reports  them  opposite 
Bridesburg,  Pa.,  January  22d  and  March  9th  and  30th. 

Mr.  W.  L.  Baily  saw  five  on  June  30th,  1900,  at  Stone  Harbor,  and 
another  at  the  same  place  May  21st,  1898.  At  Wildwood  he  shot  one 
in  immature  plumage  September  7th,  1895,  and  saw  two  March  20th, 
1904,  and  two  at  Holly  Beach  December  27th,  1903. 

1  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  IV.,  p.  5. 

2  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  35. 

8  Fowler,  Cassinia,  1903,  p.  46. 
*  Cassinia,  1906,  p.  47. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  55 

58     Larus  atricilla  Linnaeus. 
Laughing  Gull,  Black-headed  Gull. 

Adults. — Length,  15-17.  Wing,  13.  Lower  back  and  wings,  plumbeous  slate; 
primaries,  black,  inner  ones  tipped  with  white ;  head,  sooty  slate  color ;  rest 
of  plumage,  including  upper  back  and  neck,  white,  with  more  or  less  of  a  rosy 
tint  or  flush ;  bill  and  feet,  dark  red. 

Winter  adults. — Head,  white,  mottled  with  dusky  on  nape  and  ear-coverts, 
and  a  gray  wash  on  the  breast. 

Young  in  first  winter. — Dusky  grayish-brown  above  edged  with  buff ;  tail, 
gray,  broadly  tipped  with  black ;  rump,  white ;  under  parts,  white,  except  the 
breast,  which  is  sooty. 

Nest  on  the  salt  marshes  in  grass ;  made  of  grass,  sea  weed,  etc. ;  eggs,  three 
to  five,  olive  brown  or  olive  gray  spotted  with  brown  and  lilac,  2.25  x  1.60. 

The  Laughing  Gulls  select  islands  in  the  salt  meadows  or  grass}7 
patches  where  the  water  is  never  very  deep,  and  here,  just  above  high- 
water  mark,  their  bulky  nests  of  grass,  sea  weed,  etc.,  are  placed.  As 
we  approach  a  colony,  the  few  birds  that  are  always  flying  about  are 
joined  by  others  that  have  been  sitting  on  the  nests,  until,  as  we  land, 
the  whole  air  is  full  of  flapping  wings  and  the  harsh,  unearthly  laugh- 
ing cries  of  the  birds  as  they  circle  about  us,  driven  to  desperation  at 
the  danger  of  their  eggs  or  young. 

We  have  no  handsomer  bird  on  our  coasts  than  this  beautiful  gray 
and  white  Gull,  with  its  slaty  hood  and  faint  flush  of  pink  on  its 
breast,  which  seems  to  leave  the  feathers  soon  after  the  bird  has  been 
killed. 

Formerly  an  abundant  summer  resident  on  the  salt  meadows  along 
the  coast;  it  is  now  restricted  to  two  colonies,  one  at  Brigantine  and 
the  other  on  Gull  Island,  Hereford  Inlet,  both  under  the  protection  of 
the  National  Association  of  Audubon  Societies.  The  birds  arrive 
April  4th  to  20th,  and  have  mostly  departed  by  October  1st.  The  first 
sets  of  eggs  are  laid  in  May. 

In  late  summer  they  are  often  found  in  immense  flocks  on  lower 
Delaware  Bay,  and  in  spring  and  fall  occasional  individuals  come  up 
to  Philadelphia  or  further.  Two  were  taken  opposite  Bristol  October 
23d,  1895 ;  one  at  Fish  House,  autumn,  1901,  and  another  on  Timber 
Creek,  November  7th,  1896. 

In  the  colony  at  Brigantine,  Mr.  I.  N.  DeHaven  and  I  found  a  few 
birds  (apparently  barren)  in  immature  plumage  with  the  breeding 


56          KEPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

adults,  June  7th,  1896,  and  one  was  secured.  Wilson  states  that  at 
Great  Egg  Harbor  the  Gulls  used  to  frequent  the  ploughed  ground 
about  the  farmers'  houses  when  feeding. 


60     Larus  Philadelphia    (Ord). 
Bonaparte's  Gull. 

PLATE   4,   FIG.    1. 

Adults. — Length,  12-14.  Wing,  10.25.  Back  and  wings,  pearl  gray ;  entire 
head  and  throat,  plumbeous;  hind  neck,  white;  three  outer  primary  feathers 
mostly  white  with  black  tips,  the  next  three  with  subterminal  black  areas,  and 
all  but  the  first  two  with  small  white  tips ;  rest  of  plumage,  white ;  bill,  black. 

In  winter — Similar,  but  head  and  throat  white  with  a  little  gray  on  the  back 
of  the  head  and  ear-coverts. 

Younger  birds  have  a  terminal  black  band  on  the  tail,  and  dusky  mottlings  on 
the  ear-coverts. 

Regular  spring  and  fall  migrant  and  winter  resident,  in  some  sea- 
sons at  least. 

The  original  specimen  was  procured  on  the  Delaware  about  1815. 
Turnbull  (1869)  regarded  the  species  as  "not  uncommon/'  and  Krider 
says,  "Found  on  the  Delaware  in  April  and  October;  not  common." 

Messrs.  Stackpole  and  Wiegman  reported  67,  ten  miles  off  Long 
Branch,1  December  31st,  1904,  and  115  were  observed  in  the  same 
vicinity  December  25th,  1908. 2  Apparently,  like  the  Kittiwakes,  they 
keep  well  off  shore,  as  I  find  very  few  records  of  capture. 

Mr.  DeHaven  secured  one  at  Atlantic  City  as  early  as  August  21st, 
1892,3  and  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  shot  one  in  Cape  May  county  November 
28th,  1879. 

63     Gelochelidon  nilotica  Linnaeus. 
Gull-billed  Tern. 

Adults.— Length,  13-15.  Wing,  11.75-12.25.  Similar  in  color  to  the  Com- 
mon Tern,  but  tail  entirely  pale  gray,  almost  white,  and  only  slightly  forked, 
and  bill  and  feet  black.  Irregular  summer  visitant  from  the  south.  Formerly 
summer  resident  on  the  South  Jersey  coasts. 

Nest  on  beaches  or  islands  in  the  salt  marshes ;  eggs,  three,  buffy  white  with 
chocolate  brown  and  lilac  markings,  1.80  x  1.30. 


1  Bird  Lore,  1905,  pp.  27,  28. 

2  Bird  Lore,  1909,  p.  23. 

3  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  44. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  57 

A  rare  straggler  from  the  South,  if  indeed  it  still  comes  this  far  up 
the  coast.  Formerly  it  bred  rather  commonly  on  the  marshes  of  Cape 
May  county,  where  it  was  discovered  by  Wilson  about  1813.  In  1869 
Turnbull  regarded  it  as  rare.  In  1886  Mr.  H.  G.  Parker1  reported  it 
still  nesting  at  the  lower  end  of  Seven  Mile  Beach,  and  Mr.  C.  S. 
Shick2  spoke  of  it  as  still  present  in  1890,  associating  with  the  Laugh- 
ing Gulls.  We  have  no  subsequent  record  for  the  State. 


64    Sterna  caspia  Pallas. 
Caspian  Tern. 

Adults. — Length,  19-22.  Wing,  15-17.  Top  of  head,  black,  the  feathers 
elongated  and  hanging  over  the  neck  in  a  sort  of  crest ;  back  of  neck,  white ; 
rest  of  upper  parts,  pale  pearl-gray ;  primaries,  dark  slate  washed  with  gray 
on  outer  webs ;  tail  and  under  parts,  white ;  bill  large,  red,  slightly  tipped 
with  black. 

In  icinter — Similar,  but  top  of  head  gray,  streaked  with  black. 

A  very  rare  straggler  on  the  coast. 

Mr.  G.  N.  Lawrence3  in  1850  reported  a  specimen  in  the  collection 
of  Nicholas  Pike,  of  Brooklyn,  which  was  taken  in  New  Jersey.  This 
was  probably  the  basis  for  TurnbulPs  statement  (1869)  that  "speci- 
mens have  been  procured  from  the  coast  of  New  Jersey  at  rare 
intervals,"  and  so  far  as  I  know,  there  is  no  further  evidence  of  its 
occurrence.  The  records  given  under  the  Royal  Tern  may,  however, 
apply  in  part  to  this. 

65     Sterna  maxima  Boddaert. 
Royal  Tern. 

Adults. — Length,  18-21.  Wing,  14-15.  Similar  to  the  Caspian  Tern,  but 
rather  smaller,  and  with  the  inner  webs  of  the  primaries  largely  white. 

A  very  rare  straggler  on  the  coast. 

Turnbull  introduced  this  species  into  the  New  Jersey  fauna  in  1869 
as  "very  rare."  Mr.  Scott4  observed  two  large  Terns  at  Long  Beach, 

10.  and  O.,  1886,,  p.  138. 

2  Auk,  1890,  p.  327. 

8  Ann.  N.  Y.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist.,  V.,  p.  37. 

4  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  227. 


58          KEPOKT  OF  iSTEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

August  23d,  1879,  an  old  and  young  bird,  which  he  took  to  be  this 
species,  although  he  did  not  secure  them.  Dr.  Allen  suggests  that 
they  may  be  Caspian  Terns,  a  species  which  had  just  been  found 
breeding  at  Cobb's  Island,  Va.  As,  however,  the  Royal  Tern  was  later 
found  to  be  very  much  more  abundant  at  this  point,  it  seems  probable 
that  Mr.  Scott's  surmise  was  correct.  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily  saw  one  at 
Avalon  August  26th  and  27th,  1896,  under  similar  conditions,  and 
was  unable  to  decide  positively  to  which  of  these  two  species  it  be- 
longed. The  bird  remained  about  the  pier  for  hours. 


67     Sterna  sandvicensis  acuflavida  (Cabot). 
Cabot' s  Tern. 

Adults. — Length,  14-16.     Wing,  12.50.    Plumage  similar  to  that  of  the  Royal 
Tern,  but  bill  black,  tipped  with  yellowish. 

A  rare  or  accidental  straggler  from  the  South. 
Turnbull  mentions  "one  shot  on  Grassy  Bay  in  August,   1861," 
which  constitutes  the  only  New  Jersey  record. 


68    Sterna  trudeaui  Audubon. 
Trudeau's  Tern. 

Adults.— Length,  15-16.  Wing,  9.70-10.60.  Above,  head  white,  with  a  dusky 
stripe  on  the  side  involving  the  eye  and  running  back  over  the  ear-coverts ; 
mantle,  bluish-gray;  tail-coverts  and  tail,  white ;  below,  pearl-gray,  as  well 
as  the  wings ;  bill,  black  in  the  middle ;  base  and  tip,  yellowish.  Lower  parts 
white  in  winter. 

A  purely  accidental  straggler  from  South  America. 

Audubon  (1839)  says:  "This  beautiful  Tern  was  procured  at 
Great  Egg  Harbor,  in  New  Jersey,  by  J.  Trudeau,  Esq."  This  is  the 
only  record.  Curiously  enough,  the  species  was  unknown  at  this  time, 
so  that  this  specimen  became  the  type. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  59 

69     Sterna  forsteri  Nuttall. 
Forster's  Tern. 

Adults.— Length,  14-15.  Wing,  9.50-10.25.  Similar  to  the  Common  Tern, 
but  rump  and  under  parts  pure  white,  and  tail  pale  gray,  with  the  outer  web  of 
the  outer  tail  feathers  white. 

Eggs,  three  to  four ;  buff  or  brownish  spotted  with  dark  brown  and  lilac, 
1.80  x  1.30. 

A  very  rare  straggler,  if  it  still  occurs  at  all  on  the  coast. 

Turnbull  seems  to  have  been  the  first  to  record  this  species  in  New 
Jersey.  He  says:  "Rare;  I  have  found  it  breeding  on  Brigantine 
Beach."  Krider  (1879)  says:  "Found  on  the  shore  of  New  Jersey 
with  the  Common  Tern."  Mr.  Scott  (1877)  regarded  it  as  rare  on 
Long  Beach,  where  he  took  a  pair  May  14th,  1877.  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott 
secured  specimens  on  Five  Mile  Beach  May  15th,  1877;  April  26th- 
May  17th,  1878;  June  3d,  1879;  May  6th,  1880;  May  20th,  1881, 
and  May  22d,  1882,  along  with  the  Common  Tern,  with  which  it  must 
have  been  breeding.  Mr.  C.  S.  Shick  (1890)  records  it  as  associated 
with  the  Common  Tern  on  Seven  Mile  Beach,  but  not  very  common, 
where  formerly  it  was  abundant.  This  is  apparently  the  last  word  we 
have  of  it  as  a  New  Jersey  bird. 

71     Sterna  paradisaea  Brunnich. 

Arctic  Tern. 

Adults. — Length,  14-17.  Wing,  10-10.50.  Similar  to  the  Common  Tern,  but 
much  grayer  below  in  summer,  and  with  more  white  on  the  inner  web  of  the 
primaries ;  tail  longer  and  bill  usually  entirely  red. 

The  evidence  upon  which  this  species  is  entered  upon  the  New  Jer- 
sey list  is  very  unsatisfactory.  At  best,  it  was  never  more  than  the 
rarest  straggler.  « 

Bonaparte  says  (1826)  that  it  is  not  rare  in  autumn  on  the  New 
Jersey  coast.1  Audubon  (1834)  states  that  it  is  found  in  winter, 
"sometimes  as  far  south  as  New  Jersey,"  while  Turnbull  says,  "Most 

/Ann.  N.  Y.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist.,  II.,  p.  355. 


60          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

numerous  in  autumn,  an  occasional  straggler  only  being  observed  in 
winter."  This  is  all,  except  two  specimens  said  by  Dr.  Warren1  to 
have  been  taken  by  Mr.  C.  D.  Wood  in  September  on  the  Delaware, 
below  Philadelphia.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  immature  Terns  were 
very  poorly  understood  in  the  old  days,  and  that  there  is  only  one 
valid  record  for  this  species  as  far  south  as  Long  Island,  I  feel  grave 
doubts  about  its  having  occurred  either  on  the  Delaware  or  the  New 
Jersey  coast.  There  are  no  specimens  extant  from  the  State. 


72     Sterna  dougalli  Montague. 
Roseate  Tern. 

Adults. — Length,  14-17.  Wing,  9.50.  Similar  to  the  Common  Tern,  but 
under  surface  tinted  with  pink ;  outer  web  of  primaries,  dark  slate ;  tail,  pure 
white ;  bill,  black,  red  at  the  base. 

Eggs,  three,  indistinguishable  from  those  of  the  Common  Tern. 

Rare  straggler,  if  it  occurs  at  all  in  the  State. 

Turnbull  (1869)  is  the  first  to  mention  this  species  as  a  New  Jersey 
bird,  the  older  ornithologists  apparently  confusing  both  this  and 
Forster's  Tern  with  the  Common  Tern,  with  which  they  associated. 
He  regarded  it  (1869)  as  not  uncommon.  "H.  A.  R."  (=Mr.  Harry 
G.  Parker)2  (1888),  speaking  of  Seven  Mile  Beach,  says,  "Now  gone, 
formerly  plentiful,""  and  C.  S.  Shick  (1890),  while  he  thinks  some 
still  remain,  says,  "Much  scarcer  than  five  years  ago,  when  it  was  an 
easy  task  to  gather  several  bushels  of  eggs  in  a  few  hours."3  Dr.  W.  L. 
Abbott,  on  his  trips  to  Five  Mile  Beach  (1877-1882)  got  no  specimens 
of  this  species,  and  I  have  heard  of  none  observed  of  late  years.  Mr. 
Chapman  seems  to  have  considered  that  they  still  occurred  in  southern 
New  Jersey  in  1906,4  but  I  know  of  no  evidence  to  support  such  a  view. 


1  Birds  of  Pennsylvania,  p.  21. 

2  O.  and  O.,  XIV.,  p.  4. 

3  Auk,  1890,  p.  327. 

4  Birds  of  vicinity  New  York,  p.  136.* 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  61 

70     Sterna  hirundo  Linnaeus. 
Common  Tern. 

PLATE  5. 

Adults.— Length,  13-16.  Wing,  9.75-11.75.  Above,  pearl  gray ;  top  of  head, 
black ;  tail  slightly  forked,  white,  with  outer  web  of  outer  feathers  gray ;  under 
parts,  grayish-white ;  bill,  red,  tipped  with  black ;  feet,  light  red. 

In  winter  fore  part  of  head  white,  under  parts  whiter,  and  bill  blackish. 

Young  in  first  summer  like  winter  adults,  but  feathers  on  the  back  edged  and 
mottled  with  brownish,  and  lesser  wing-coverts  dusky. 

Nest  simply  a  hollow  in  the  sand,  or  on  trash  thrown  up  on  the  meadows ; 
eggs,  three  to  four,  olive-brownish,  or  olive-gray  blotched  with  brown,  1.80  x  1.30. 

These  beautiful  birds,  when  undisturbed,  nested  in  communities  of 
hundreds  or  thousands.  When  one  visited  one  of  the  colonies  they 
rose  in  the  air  and  circled  about  until  the  intruder  had  taken  his  de- 
parture. Their  graceful  flight,  their  immaculate  plumage,  and  their 
weird  chorus  of  protesting  cries,  all  combined  to  add  a  charm  to  the 
seashore  that  nothing  can  ever  replace.  And  they  have  been  practi- 
cally wiped  out  of  existence  for  what?  To  be  stuffed  into  grotesque 
shapes  and  stuck  on  a  woman's  hat — a  purpose  for  which  they  were 
surely  never  created.  They  were  not  murdered  and  perched  upon  the 
milliner's  creations  because  they  look  well  there,  for  they  are  by 
this  time  mere  caricatures  of  the  graceful  inhabitants  of  the  shore, 
but  because  fashion  demanded  them  and  women  were  too  weak  to  say 
no.  Now  we  hear  that  they  do  not  wear  them.  No !  There  are  none 
to  wear.  And  the  Egret,  too,  has  been  all  but  exterminated  from  our 
coasts. 

Formerly  an  abundant  summer  resident,  breeding  both  on  the 
"trash"  thrown  up  by  high  tide  on  the  meadows  and  on  the  sandy 
beach  above  high-water  mark.  Now  reduced  to  a  few  small  colonies 
or  scattered  pairs.  Occurs  from  April  to  October.  In  1881  they  bred 
abundantly  on  the  meadows  back  of  Beach  Haven  (Morris),  but  by 
1893  were  so  rare  that  Mr.  G.  S.  Morris  and  I  were  astonished  to  find 
two  pairs  nesting  July  23d,  just  above  Atlantic  City.1  About  Stone 
Harbor  they  still  nest  in  small  numbers,  and  I  was  informed  of  one 
colony  of  about  100  pairs  that  bred  successfully  in  1908.  Several 
Terns  of  this  species  were  seen  on  the  upper  Delaware  September  5th, 

1Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  227. 


62          EEPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1907,  by  Mr.  E.  C.  Harlow,1  who  considers  it  not  uncommon  on  the 
river  at  this  season.  Two  appeared  at  Cranbury  Pond,  near 
Princeton,  October,  1898,  and  five  were  observed  at  Plainsboro  by  Mr. 
W.  A.  Babson,  September,  1899.2 


74     Sterna  antillarum    (Lesson). 
Least  Tern. 

Adults. — Length,  8.50-9.75.  Wing,  6.  In  color  similar  to  the  Common  Tern, 
but  forehead  white  and  lores  black ;  outer  web  of  outer  primaries  dark  slate, 
and  bill  j'ellow,  tipped  with  black. 

Nest  merely  a  hollow  in  the  sand ;  eggs,  three,  buffy  white,  with  chocolate- 
brown  markings,  1.25  x  .95. 

Xow  a  very  rare  straggler,  if  it  be  not  forever  gone  from  New 
Jersey.  Formerly  a  plentiful  breeder  along  the  sandy  beaches  above 
high  water,  arriving  May  12th  and  departing  August  25th,  though 
some  lingered  until  September  6th.  Eggs  from  May  28th  to  July 
5th.3 

Wilson  says:  "During  my  whole  stay  [at  their  nesting  site  on  the 
Cape  May  beaches]  the  birds  flew  in  clouds  around  me,  and  often 
within  a  few  yards  of  my  head,  squeaking  like  so  man}7'  young  pigs." 
Scott  (1879)  :  "Abundant  [at  Long  Beach],  breeding  exclusively 
on  the  ocean  beach."  Mr.  G.  S.  Morris,  writing  of  the  same 
spot  in  1881,  says:  "The  Least  Terns  bred  in  considerable 
numbers,  and  were  equally  vociferous  in  their  protests  against 
intruders.  It  is  difficult,  at  this  late  date  (1909),  to  give  an 
estimate  of  numbers,  but  I  can  remember  standing  in  one  spot 
and  seeing  five  or  six  nests  within  a  radius  of  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet,  but  my  recollections  are  that  these  conditions  only  per- 
tained to  an  acre  or  so  of  the  beach.  In  the  summer  of  1884,  in  July, 
I  could  find  no  Least  Terns'  eggs,  and  natives  told  me  they  no  longer 
found  eggs  on  the  beach.4  During  the  period  1881-1886  I  saw  a  good 
deal  of  the  slaughter  of  the  birds  in  this  region.  I  remember  coming 


1  Cassinia,  1907,  p.  85. 

2  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  35. 

8  Scott,  Long  Beach,  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  227. 
*  One  set  is  in  the  collection  of  Mrs.  Drown,  of  Weldon,  Pa.,  taken  June  20th, 
1883,  at  Beach  Haven. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  63 

upon  two  professional  millinery  gunners,  I  think  in  the  summer  of 
1885,  who  had  two  piles  about  knee  high  of  Least  and  Common  Terns, 
which  they  said  they  were  sending  to  New  York,  my  recollection  being 
that  they  got  twelve  cents  apiece  for  the  birds." 

Dr.  Warren  describes  the  same  thing  on  Brigantine  in  the  summer 
of  1883;  he  says,  "The  Least  Terns  were  breeding  in  considerable 
numbers,  laying  their  eggs  in  slight  depressions  in  the  dry  sand  and 
among  the  shells  on  the  sand  hills  along  the  beach.  I  obtained  the 
bodies  of  over  75  of  these  Terns  from  two  taxidermists,  who  were  col- 
lecting the  skins  for  New  York  and  Philadelphia  dealers,  to  be  used 
for  ladies'  hats.  These  birds  were  all  killed  in  one  day." 

On  Seven  Mile  Beach  Mr.  C.  S.  Shick  writes  in  1890  that  the  Least 
Tern  is  a  very  common  breeder.  "I  must  state,  however,  that  all  of 
the  Terns  are  gradually  forsaking  their  former  breeding  grounds  on 
account  of  the  new  seaside  resorts  that  are  being  started  on  all  the 
islands.  Formerly  many  hundred  pairs  occupied  a  small  sand  flat 
near  Sea  Isle  City,  but  they  are  now  all  gone,  not  one  pair  breeding 
where  a  few  years  ago  hundreds  raised  their  young."  Mr.  H.  G-.  Parker 
in  1888  estimated  that  there  were  only  30  pairs  left  on  Seven  Mile 
Beach,  and  Mr.  Philip  Laurent  (1892)  says  that  some  still  bred  there. 
Since  then  we  have  no  definite  breeding  record,  but  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily 
saw  two  birds  together  at  Stone  Harbor,  July  15th,  1899,  which  he  felt 
sure  were  nesting.  He  saw  single  birds  also  on  the  following  dates: 
Holly  Beach,  June  1st,  1893;  Stone  Harbor,  August  28th,  1896,  and 
Cape  May,  August  22d,  1897. 


75     Sterna  fuscata  Linnaeus. 
Sqoty  Tern. 

Adults. — Length,  15-17.  Wing,  12.  Above,  brownish-black ;  forehead  and 
line  to  the  eye,  white ;  outer  pair  of  tail  feathers,  mainly  white ;  under  parts, 
white  ;  bill  and  feet,  black. 

Very  rare  straggler;   probably  does  not  now  occur. 

Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  gives  this  species  as  "rare  in  summer,"  with  no 
definite  data*.  One  specimen  was,  however,  shot  by  Mr.  A.  P.  Brown 
on  Long  Beach  in  the  "seventies,"  which  I  have  frequently  examined. 


64          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

77     Hydrochelidon   nigra   surinamensis    (Gmelin). 
Black  Tern. 

Adults, — Length,  9-10.  Wing,  8.25.  Back,  wings  and  tail,  slate  color ;  rest 
of  plumage,  black ;  bill  and  feet,  black ;  shafts  of  primaries,  white. 

In  autumn. — Forehead,  white ;  top  of  head  and  neck  dusky,  edged  with 
white ;  black  in  front  and  behind  the  eye ;  rest  of  upper  parts,  dark  gray ; 
under  parts,  white ;  gray  on  sides  of  breast. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar,  but  edged  with  brownish  above. 

An  irregular  migrant  on  the  coast  during  late  summer  and  autumn, 
sometimes  very  abundant.  Occasional  on  the  large  rivers. 

Wilson  received  his  first  specimen  of  this  supposedly  new  species  of 
Tern  from  Mr.  Beesley,  of  Great  Egg  Harbor.  Soon  after,  on  the  6th  of 
September,  1812,  he  tells  us  "after  a  violent  northeast  storm,  numerous 
flocks  of  this  Tern  appeared  on  the  Schuylkill  meadows.  Some  hun- 
dreds of  them  might  be  seen  at  the  same  time."  Mr.  Scott  observed 
them  at  Long  Beach  in  1877,  the  first  one  arriving  on  June  llth.  In 
a  few  days  they  became  very  common,  and  remained  all  summer  in 
large  numbers,  being  still  present  September  1st.  Many  were  im- 
mature, and  only  one  in  ten  was  in  the  black  plumage.  All  were 
moulting.1 

Mr.  Rhoads  found  them  plentiful  at  Beach  Haven  September  8th 
to  12th,  1881,2  and  Mr.  D.  N".  McCadden3  reported  them  at  Stone 
Harbor  in  flocks  of  fifty  August  4th  to  18th,  1899,  feeding  like  swal- 
lows over  the  meadows.  Dr.  Braislin  observed  them4  commonly 
opposite  Forked  River  August  22d  to  25th,  1908. 

Mr.  W.  D.  Miller5  reports  the  unusual  abundance  of  the  Black  Tern 
from  early  August  to  the  end  of  September,  1906,  about  the  Newark 
marshes,  etc.,  where  they  were  last  seen  October  6th.  One  was  seen  on 
the  Delaware,  opposite  Philadelphia,  on  October  20th  of  the  same 
year  by  Mr.  R.  F.  Miller,  and  on  September  5th,  1907,  a  flock  was 
observed  above  the  city  and  several  secured  by  Mr.  R.  C.  Harlow.6 

1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  227. 

2  Colin.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila. 

3  Abst.  Proc.  Del.  Valley  Orn.  Club,  IV.,  p.  5. 

4  Cassinia,  1908,  p.  42. 

5  Bird  Lore,  1906,  p.  211. 

6  Cassinia,  1907,  p.  85. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  65 

Family    RYNCHOPIDJE. 

THE  SKIMMERS. 

These  curious  birds,  allied  to  the  Terns  in  general  structure,  are 
peculiar  in  their  compressed  bill,  the  two  mandibles  almost  like  vertical 
knife  blades  and  the  lower  much  longer  than  the  upper.  When  feeding, 
the  bird  skims  the  surface  with  its  mouth  open  and  the  lower  mandible 
in  the  water,  scooping  up  such  small  animals  as  come  in  its  way.  We 
have  but  one  species  in  America. 

80     Rynchops  nigra  Linnaeus. 
Black  Skimmer. 

Adults. — Length,  17-20.  Wing,  14.75-15.75.  Above,  black ;  most  of  the 
tail  feathers  and  tips  of  secondaries,  white,  as  well  as  the  forehead,  sides  of 
the  head  and  entire  under  parts ;  bill,  orange  for  basal  half,  tip  black. 

Young  in  first  autumn  more  dusky,  with  white  edgings  to  feathers. 

jS/est  a  mere  hollow  in  the  sand  ;  eggs,  three  to  four,  white  or  pale  buff,  with 
heavy  chocolate  and  lilac  markings,  1.75  x  1.30. 

A  rare  straggler  from. the  South.  Formerly  a  common  summer 
resident  on  the  southern  New  Jersey  coast. 

Wilson  says:  "Its  favorite  haunts  are  low  sand  bars  raised  above 
the  reach  of  the  summer  tides,  and  also  dry  flat  sands  on  the  beach  in 
front  of  the  ocean.  It  lays  early  in  June.  Half  a  bushel  and  more 
of  eggs  has  sometimes  been  collected  from  one  sand  bar  within  the 
compass  of  half  an  acre."  Krider  (1879) x  states  that  they  breed  on 
all  the  beaches  of  Cape  May  county,  and  Scott2  (1877)  reports  them 
rather  rare  on  Long  Beach,  which  he  regards  as  their  northern  limit. 
A  set  of  eggs  was  taken  there  July  29th,  1882,  which  is  now  in  Mrs. 
E.  Drown's  collection.  On  Brigantine  Beach  and  at  Little  Egg  Harbor 
Scott  states  they  breed  in  numbers.  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  collected  a  num- 
ber of  specimens  September  13th-14th,  1880,  at  Five  Mile  Beach,  but 
Mr.  Laurent3  saw  none  there  in  1892.  On  Seven  Mile  Beach  they  bred 

1  Field  Notes,  p.  82. 

2  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  227. 

3  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  43. 

5 


66          REPOKT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

in  1886,  according  to  Mr.  H.  G.  Parker/  and  Mr.  C.  S.  Shick2  states 
that  he  found  seventy-five  nests  in  1885  and  1886,  and  in  1890 
reported  them  still  present,  but  very  rare.3  I  saw  a  few  late  that  sum- 
mer off  Cape  May;  Mr.  I.  N".  DeHaven  saw  two  at  Atlantic  City 
August  1st,  1887,4  and  a  specimen  was  shot  at  Tuckerton  in  August, 
1893,  by  Mr.  A.  H.  Jillson. 

Order  TUBINARES. 

Tube-Nosed   Swimmers. 
Family  PROCELLARIID^. 

THE  PETRELS  AND  SHEARWATERS. 

The  Petrels  are  more  strictly  pelagic  than  any  of  our  other  water 
birds,  and  are  only  seen  near  the  shore  when  driven  in  by  storms. 

They  are  web-footed,  with  a  very  small  or  rudimentary  hind  toe, 
and  are  very  strong  on  the  wing,  scouring  the  ocean  for  long  periods 
without  coming  to  rest,  the  smaller  species  recalling  the  swallows 
among  land  birds.  The  upper  mandible  is  strongly  hooked  at  the  tip, 
but  the  most  peculiar  characteristic  of  the  Petrels  and  their  allies  is 
the  curious  tubular  nostrils  which  lie  horizontally  on  top  of  the  hHl. 

a.  Length,  16-22. 

6.  Lower  parts  white. 

c.  Head  white.  FULMAR,  p.  67 

cc.  Upper  parts  entirely  smoky  gray. 

d.  White  of  throat,  etc.,  sharply  separated  from  dusky  of  upper 
parts  of  head.  GREATER  SHEARWATER,  p.  67 

dd.  White  of  throat,  etc.,  not  sharply  separated  from  dusky. 

CORY'S  SHEARWATER,  p.  67 
66.  Entire  plumage  gray  or  sooty. 

c.  Length,  18-20.  FULMAR  (dark  phase),  p.  67 

cc.  Length,  16.  SOOTY  SHEARWATER,  p.  68 

oo.  Length,  11 ;    blackish  above,  white  beneath.  AUDUBON'S  SHEARWATER,  p.  68 
ooo.  Length,  5.50-8.50. 

6.  Tarsus,  1.30.  WILSON'S  PETREL,  p.  70 

66.  Tarsus,  .90. 

c.  Length,  5.50.  STORMY  PETREL,  p.  69 

cc.  Length,  7.50-8.  LEACH'S  PETREL,  p.  69 

1  O.  and  O.,  1886,  p.  138. 

2  O.  and  O.,  1887,  p.  102. 
8  Auk,  1890. 

*  Forest  and  Stream,  September  1st,  1887,  p.  105. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  67 

86     Fulmarus  glacialis  (Linnaeus). 
Fulmar. 

Adults.— Length,  18-20.  Wing,  12.50-13.50.  Back,  wings  and  tail,  pale  gray ; 
a  dusky  spot  before  the  eye;  rest  of  plumage,  white;  sometimes  the  entire 
plumage  is  dull  brownish-gray. 

Accidental  straggler  from  the  North.  There  is  only  one  record,  a 
bird  picked  up  in  an  exhausted  condition  in  Bergen  county  (near 
Ridgewood),  December,  1891,  by  Mr.  Henry  Hales.1 

88     Puffinus  borealis  Cory. 
Cory's  Shearwater. 

Adults.— Length,  20-22.  Wing,  13.75-14.50.  Above,  brownish-black  ;  below, 
white ;  no  sharp  line  of  demarcation  on  the  side  of  the  throat. 

A  pelagic  species  rarely  straggling  in  to  the  coast.  Dr.  William  C. 
Braislin  obtained  two  specimens  of  this  species  off  Fire  Island  Inlet 
October  4th,  1902,2  and  in  August,  1908,  saw  several  Shearwaters, 
which  he  considered  were  the  same  species,  on  the  ocean  off  Forked 
River.3 

89     Puffinus  gravis  (O'Reilly). 
Greater  Shearwater. 

Adults. — Length,  19-20.  Wing,  11.50-13.  Above,  brownish-black;  below, 
white;  ashy  on  the  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts.  Differs  from  the  preced- 
ing in  having  the  white  of  the  throat,  etc.,  abruptly  separated  from  the  dusky 
of  the  upper  part  of  the  head  and  neck. 


1  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  39. 

2  Auk,  1904,  p.  287. 

3  Cassinia,  1908,  p.  42. 


68          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Pelagic,  rarely  straggling  in  to  the  coast. 

Turnbull  says  very  rare;  a  few  seen  every  year  on  the  Atlantic  off 
the  coast.  Chapman  says  it  is  irregularly  common,  from  early  June 
to  October,  off  the  coast.1  We  have  no  record  of  capture  on  the  New 
Jersey  coast. 

92     Puffinus  I'herminieri   Lesson. 
Audubon's  Shearwater. 

Adults. — Length,  11.  Wing,  7.60-8.40.  Above,  black;  below,  white;  run- 
ning well  up  on  the  lores  and  nearly  to  the  eye. 

Very  rare  straggler  from  the  South. 

Audubon's  Shearwater  has  been  taken  on  Long  Island,  and  is  proba- 
bly the  bird  mentioned  by  Turnbull,  under  the  name  Manx  Shear- 
water, as  an  accidental  visitor  to  the  coast  in  autumn.  Mr.  Ridgway 
includes  New  Jersey  in  its  range  in  his  manual. 


94     Puffinus  griseus  (Gmelin). 
Sooty  Shearwater. 

Adults. — Length,  16.  Wing,  11.50-12.  Entire  plumage,  sooty  black  ;  slightly 
lighter  below. 

Occasional  off  the  coast,  June  to  November. 

A  pelagic  species,  occasionally  straggling  in  to  the  coast,  Turnbull 
says,  "Occasional  along  the  sea  shore,  from  the  South/'  and  Chapman 
regards  it  as  much  less  common  than  the  Greater  Shearwater. 

Curiously  enough,  all  the  Shearwaters  captured  on  the  New  Jersey 
coast  belong  to  this  species.  The  records  are  as  follows : 

Delaware  Bay;   1858.    Thos.  Beesley.2 

Below  Atlantic  City;  June  3d,  1893.    Prof.  J.  Remington.2 

Fishing  banks  off  Five  Mile  Beach.  Capt.  John  Taylor3  (two  speci- 
mens) . 

Sea  Isle  City;  May  25th,  1898.    Theo.  L.  DeBow.2 

1  Birds  Vicin.  of  N.  Y.,  1906,  p.  138. 

2  Coll.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila. 

8  Laurent,  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  43. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  69 

104     Thalassidroma   pelagica    (Linnaeus). 
Storm  Petrel. 

Adults.— Length,  5.50-5.75.  Wing,  4.50-4.90.  Plumage  similar  to  that  of 
Wilson's  Petrel,  from  which  it  is  easily  distinguished  by  its  smaller  size  and 
much  shorter  feet — tarsus,  .90-.95. 

There  seems  to  be  no  record  of  this  species  from  New  Jersey,  nor  is 
it  certain  that  it  occurs  even  off  our  coasts.  The  only  evidence  of  the 
latter  is  a  statement  of  Lawrence's  for  New  York,  and  one  of  Krider's 
referring  to  a  specimen  secured  at  Philadelphia  after  a  storm.1  The 
little  Petrels  were  so  much  confused  in  the  old  days,  however,  that 
these  statements  might  easily  have  referred  to  either  of  the  other 
species. 

106     Oceanodroma    leucorhoa    (Vieillot). 

Leach's  Petrel. 

/ 

PLATE    6. 

Adults. — Length,  7.50-8.50.  Wing,  6-6.25.  Entire  plumage,  sooty  brownish- 
black,  except  the  upper  tail-coverts,  which  are  white,  somewhat  mottled  with 
blackish  ;  tail,  distinctly  forked ;  feet,  entirely  black. 

Pelagic,  occurring  off  our  coast  during  the  autumn  and  winter, 
retiring  to  the  coasts  and  islands  from  Maine  northward  to  breed. 

Turnbull  states  that  a  number  were  driven  inland  in  August,  1842, 
during  a  'gale. 

December  18th,  1890,  one  was  taken  by  Mr.  W.  V.  Wilbank,2  on  the 
Delaware  River  at  Tinicum,  and  Mr.  I.  N.  DeHaven  secured  another 
on  the  thoroughfare  at  Atlantic  City  August  24th,  1893.2  Both  of 
these  1  have  examined. 


1  Field  Notes,  p.  79. 

2  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  50. 


70          KEPORT  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

109     Oceanites  oceanicus   (Kuhl). 
Wilson's  Petrel. 

Adults.— Length,  7-7.25.  Wing,  5.75-6.20.  Similar  to  Leach's  Petrel,  but 
under  tail-coverts  mottled  with  white ;  wing-coverts  with  whitish  edges,  and 
webs  of  feet  mainly  yellow ;  tail,  square ;  feet  much  longer — tarsus,  1.30-1.35. 

A  common  bird  on  the  ocean  off  our  coast  from  May  to  September, 
occasionally  coming  in  shore  or  up  the  rivers  during  storms.  Retires 
to  Kerguelen  Island,  in  the  Southern  Ocean,  to  breed  in  January  and 
February.  Krider  took  one  in  Delaware  Bay/  and  Scott  secured  sev- 
eral from  a  large  flock  off  Barnegat  Light  August  10th,  1877.2  Lau- 
rent3 reports  it  as  common  on  the  fishing  banks  off  Five  Mile  Beach, 
and  Chapman4  observed  numbers  of  Petrels  [presumably  this  species] 
off  the  Delaware  coast  May  9th,  1897. 

A  dead  bird  was  found  on  the  beach  at  Point  Pleasant,  N".  J.,  by 
Dr.  A.  P.  Brown.5 

Order  STEGANOPODES. 

Totipalmate   Swimmers. 

The  birds  comprising  this  order  are  distinguished  from  all  other 
swimming  birds  by  the  fact  that  the  hind  toe  is  connected  with  the 
inner  toe  by  a  web,  making  three  webs  instead  of  two,  as  in  the  ducks 
and  gulls.  The  several  families  are  distinguished  as  follows : 

a.  Tip  of  upper  mandible  with  a  distinct  hook  or  "nail"  at  the  tip. 

6.  Bill  10-15  long,  with  large  pouch.  PELICANS,  p.  73 

66.  Bill  2-3  long,  scarcely  any  pouch.  CORMORANTS,  p.  72 

«a.  Tip  of  upper  mandible  without  a  distinct  hook.  GANNETS,  p.  71 


1  Field  Notes,  p.  79. 

a  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  228. 

« O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  43. 

4  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.  N.  Y.,  X.,  p.  2. 

•  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  I.,  p.  11. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  71 

Family    SULID-flE. 

4 

THE  GANNETS. 

The  Gannets  and  Boobies,  which  comprise  this  family,  are  large 
birds  with  a  powerful,  heavy  bill,  somewhat  serrate  on  its  edges  near 
the  tip.  They  secure  the  fish  upon  which  they  live  by  diving  for  them 
from  some  distance  up  in  the  air.  Our  only  species,  the  Gannet, 
nests  on  Bird  Rock  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  and  occurs  in  New 
Jersey  only  as  a  transient. 

117     Sula  bassana   (Linnaeus). 
Gannet. 

Adults. — Length,  3O-40.  Wing,  19.50.  Plumage,  white;  head  and  neck 
washed  with  straw  color ;  primaries,  brownish-black. 

Young  in  first  autumn  and  winter. — Above,  and  whole  head,  neck  and  throat, 
grayish-brown,  thickly  marked  with  triangular  white  spots ;  tail,  white  *  at 
base  ;  breast  and  abdomen,  white ;  all  feathers  bordered  with  grayish-brown. 

A  spring  and  fall  migrant,  usually  keeping  well  off  shore,  but  occa- 
sionally coming  in  to  the  coast  or  up  the  rivers. 

Mr.  H.  W.  Hand  tells  me  that  they  remain  in  varying  numbers  off 
the  capes  of  Delaware  Bay  all  winter,  and  May  25th,  1890,  one  was 
captured  on  the  Delaware,  at  Salem,1  by  Messrs.  S.  B.  Irwin  and  J.  H. 
Cullen. 

One  was  taken  the  same  year  at  Atlantic  City,1  and  one  on  April 
26th,  on  the  fishing  banks  off  Five  Mile  Beach,  by  Capt.  John  Taylor.2 
A  young  bird  in  the  brown  plumage  was  shot  at  Holly  Beach  November 
22d,  1897.3  Mr.  Hand  reports  them  seen  off  Cape  May  March  14th, 
1903;  March  18th,  1907;  February  25th,  1906. 


Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  50. 
Laurent,  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  43. 
Colin.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila. 


72          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Family   PHALACROCORACIDJE. 

THE  CORMORANTS. 

The  Cormorants  are  fish-eating  birds,  and  secure  their  prey  by 
diving  duck  fashion  from  the  surface  of  the  sea,  and  then  pursuing 
it  under  the  water.  They  resemble  large-sized  ducks  also  when  flying. 
In  structure  their  slight  throat  pouch  recalls  the  much  larger  struc- 
ture of  the  Pelicans.  They  do  not  nest  between  the  Bay  of  Funday, 
the  southern  breeding  limit  of  the  Double-crested  Cormorant,  and 
North  Carolina,  the  northern  limit  of  the  Florida  Cormorant. 

119  Phalacrocorax  carbo   (Linnaeus). 

Cormorant. 

A  dults  —  Length,  34-40.  Wing,  12.90-14.  Differs  from  the  Double-crested 
Cormorant,  which  is  the  common  New  Jersey  species,  in  the  presence  of  a  white 
patch  at  the  base  of  the  throat  pouch  and  of  slender  white  hair-like  feathers  on 
the  head  in  the  nuptial  plumage.  There  are,  moreover,  fourteen  tail  feathers 
instead  of  twelve. 

A  very  rare  straggler  from  the  Xorth  in  winter. 

Lawrence  reports  it  as  occurring  as  far  south  as  New  Jersey,1  and 
Turnbull  calls  it  rather  rare.  A  specimen  is  recorded  by  Mr.  C.  E. 
Bellows  as  taken  at  Bridgeton,  N".  J.,  apparently  in  1883. 2 

This  species  is  so  frequently  confused  with  the  Double-crested  Cor- 
morant that  I  am  very  skeptical  about  the  accuracy  of  any  of  the 
above  statements.  The  species  does,  however,  occur  rarely  on  Long 
Island. 

120  Phalacrocorax  auritus   (Lesson). 
Double-crested  Cormorant. 

Adults.— Length,  29-33.  Wing,  12-13.  General  color,  glossy  black  ;  feathers 
of  back,  scapulars  and  wing-coverts  with  grayish  centers ;  a  tuft  of  black 
feathers  on  each  side  of  the  head.  In  winter  the  tufts  are  lacking. 

Young  in  first  autumn  duller  and  browner  above,  brown  below,  paler  on  the 
neck  and  breast. 


1  Birds  of  N.  A.,  p.  876. 

2  O.  and  O.,  1883,  p.  16. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  73 

A  common  spring  and  fall  migrant,  and  occasional  winter  resident. 
Mr.  H.  W.  Hand  tells  me  that  they  arrive  in  the  spring,  from  March 
23d  to  April  21st,  and  sometimes  linger  until  June  1st,  and  Mr.  W.  L. 
iiaily  saw  a  flock  of  one  hundred  off  Sea  Isle  City  May  23d,  1887,  and 
one  August  30th,  1896,  at  Wildwood.  At  Atlantic  City  I  saw  one  bird 
as  late  as  June  19th,  1892,  and  Mr.  R.  C.  Harlow  saw  three  at  Beach 
Haven  June  llth,  1907.  They  return  in  September  and  October,  and 
Mr.  1.  X.  DeHaven  took  several  at  Atlantic  City  February,  1895. 
They  usually  migrate  just  off  shore,  but  occasionally  come  in  over  the 
bays  and  even  up  the  rivers.  Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads  reports  some  seen  on 
the  Delaware  at  Camden,  and  Mr.  H.  W.  Fowler  records  two  killed  at 
Burlington  Island.  Mr.  Thurber  states  that  one  was  shot  at  Littleton, 
Morris  county,  October,  1880,  but  they  are  very  rare  inland. 


Family   PELECANID^. 

THE  PELICANS. 

Like  the  other  allied  families,  the  Pelicans  are  fishing  birds,  and 
are  provided  with  a  curious  distensible  sack  hanging  from  the  lower 
mandible.  The  White  Pelican  scoops  up  its  fish  while  swimming,  but 
the  Brown  Pelican  secures  his  food  by  diving. 

125     Pelecanus  erythrorhynchos  Gmelin. 
White  Pelican. 

Adults.— Length,  55-70.     Wing,  20-25.     White  with  black  primaries. 

A  rare  straggler  in  former  years. 

Turnbull  says  that  it  has  been  seen  at  rare  intervals  on  the  Dela- 
ware and  on  the  sea  coast  near  Cape  May,  and  T.  R.  Peale1  records  a 
pair  captured  a  few  miles  below  Philadelphia  on  the  Delaware.  Dr. 
(.'.  ('.  Abbott  refers  to  a  mounted  specimen  said  to  have  been  killed 
near  Tuckerton,  and  says  that  he  saw  three  of  these  birds  flying  off 
Sandy  Hook  in  February,  1864. 

1  Water  Birds  of  N.  A.,  II.,  p.  137. 


74    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

• 

126     Pelecanus   occidentalis    (Linnaeus). 
Brown  Pelican. 

PLATE   7. 

Adults. — Length,  50-54.  Wing,  19-21.  Chocolate-brown  below  with  long 
silvery-gray  feathers  covering  the  upper  parts,  with  a  chestnut  patch  on  the 
fore  part  of  the  back  and  a  chestnut  stripe  on  the  occiput ;  head,  straw-yellow, 
with  a  white  stripe  down  the  side  of  the  neck  and  a  straw-yellow  patch  on  the 
breast.  After  the  breeding  season  the  whole  head  is  white,  tinged  with  yellow. 

Young  in  first  year. — Similar,  but  duller,  and  head  tinged  with  gray. 

Rare  straggler  from  the  South. 

Turnbull  records  one  specimen  shot  off  Sandy  Hook  in  1837  in 
summer,  and  Mr.  W.  H.  Werner  tells  me  that  one  was  shot  at  Vent- 
nor  and  brought  to  him  in  May,  1902. 1  Another  was  wounded  and 
captured  by  Mr.  Walter  Lay  ton,  at  Townsend's  Inlet,  May  5th.  1909. 

Order  ANSERES. 

Lamellirostral  Swimmers. 
Family  ANATID^E. 

THE  DUCKS  AND  GEESE. 

The  striking  peculiarity  of  the  birds  of  this  family  is  the  curious  flat 
bill  with  rows  of  fine  narrow  plates  on  either  side,  like  the  teeth  of  a 
comb,  which  act  as  strainers,  holding  the  food  while  the  water  drains 
off. 

The  Mergansers  (Mergince)  have  a  much  narrower  bill,  recalling 
that  of  the  Cormorant,  and  like  it,  they  feed  upon  fish  which  they 
catch  while  under  the  water.  (P.  78.) 

The  River  Ducks  (Anatince)  feed  usually  in  shallow  water,  where 
they  can  reach  bottom  by  simply  "tilting  up."  Small  aquatic  animals 
and  plants  constitute  their  food.  (P.  79.) 

The  Sea  Ducks  (Fuligulince)  feed  on  the  same  materials,  but  dive 
for  them.  They  may  be  distinguished  from  the  former  group  by 


1  Referred  to  by  S.  R.  Morse,  N.  J.  State  Mus.  Rept,  1903,  p.  56. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  75 

having  a  flap  or  lobe  on  the  small  hind  toe,  which  is  lacking  in  the 
Anatince.  (P.  86.) 

The  Geese  (Anserince)  have  a  blunt,  heavy  bill,  the  result  of  feed- 
ing on  land  upon  grass,  etc.,  though  they  also  pluck  various  aquatic 
plants  from  the  shallow  water.  (P.  93.) 

The  Swans  (Cygnince)  are  distinguished  by  their  very  long  necks 
and  bare  lores.  (P.  96.) 

o.  Neck  longer  than  the  body.  WHISTLING  SWAN,  p.  96 

aa.  Neck  shorter  than  the  body. 

6.  Tarsus  longer  than  the  middle  toe  without  the  claw.  (Geese) 

c.  Forehead  white,  head  brown.  WHITE-FRONTED  GOOSE,  p.  94 

cc.  Entire  head  brown. 

d.  Back  brown.  WHITE-FRONTED  GOOSE  (young),  p.  94 

dd.  Back  dark  gray.  BLUE  GOOSE  (young),  p.  94 

ccc.  Entire  head  white    (often  stained  rusty). 

d.  Body  dark  gray.  BLUE  GOOSE,  p.  94 

dd.  Body  white. 

e.  Wing  under  17.  LESSER  SNOW  GOOSE,  p.  93 

ee.  Wing  over  17.25.        GREATER  SNOW  GOOSE,  p.  93 
cccc.  Entire  head  pale  gray.  Immature  SNOW  GEESE,  p.  93 

ccccc.  Entire  head  black. 

d.  Throat  white.  CANADA  GOOSE,  p.  95 

dd.  Throat  black,  neck  speckled  with  white. 

e.  Belly  white.  BRANT,  p.  95 

ee.  Belly  dark  gray.  BLACK  BRANT,  p.  96 

66.  Tarsus  shorter  than  the  middle  toe  without  the  claw.  (Ducks) 

c.  Bill  very  slender  and  narrow,  nearly  round  in  cross-section. 

d.  Bill  not  over  1.50.  HOODED  MERGANSER,  p.  79 

dd.  Bill  not  under  1.80. 
e.  Head  black. 

/.  Breast  streaked  with  black. 

RED-BREASTED  MERGANSER  (male),  p.  78 
ff.  Breast  not  streaked. 

MERGANSER  (male),  p.  78 
ee.  Head  rusty  red  or  gray. 

/.  Bill  from  nostril  to  tip  1.25  or  less. 

MERGANSER  (female),  p.  78 
ff.  Bill  from  nostril  to  tip  1.50  or  more. 

RED-BREASTED  MERGANSER  (female),  p.  78 
cc.  Bill  broader,  flat  and  duck-like. 

d.  Head  and  neck  rusty  or  reddish-brown. 

e.  Crown  white.  EUROPEAN  WIDGEON,  p.  81 

ee.  Sides  of  face  white.  RUDDY  DUCK,  p.  93 

eee.  Sides  of  head  black.      GREEN-WINGED  TEAL,  p.  83 
eeee.  Crown  and  face  uniform  with  rest  of  head. 

f.  Flanks  barred  like  the  back,  bill  2  or  less. 

REDHEAD,  p.  86 

ff.  Flanks  with  scarcely  a  trace  of  bars,  bill 
over  2.  CANVASBACK,  p.  86 


76          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 


dd.  Head  more  or  less  metallic,  green  or  blue. 
e.  Entirely  green. 

f.  "Shoulder"  of  wing  blue,  speculum  green. 

SHOVELLER,  p.  84 
if.  Shoulder  brown,  speculum  purplish-blue. 

MALLARD,  p.  79 

ee.  Green,  marked  with  white  and  purple,  and  crested. 

WOOD  DUCK,  p.  85 

eee.  Green  back  of  eye  and  down  the  neck,  rest  of  head 
speckled.  BALDPATE,  p.  82 

ddd.  Head  black  with  green  or  purplish  reflections. 
e.  A  large  white  patch  behind  the  eye. 

BUFFLEHEAD,   p.   89 

ee.  A  white  spot  at  the  base  of  the  bill. 

GOLDEN-EYED  DUCK,  p.  88 
eee.  No  white  marks  on  head. 

/.  A  chestnut  collar  at  base  of  neck,  speculum 
gray.  RING-NECK  DUCK,  p.  88 

//.  No  chestnut  collar,  speculum  white. 

y.  Flanks  white.          SCAUP  DUCK,  p.  87 
gg.  Flanks  mottled  writh  dusky. 

LESSER  SCAUP  DUCK,  p.  87 

dddd.  Head  jet  black  without  reflections,  under  parts  black. 
e.  A  white  spot  on  crown  or  cheeks,  tail  long. 

OLD-SQUAW,  p.  89 

ee.  A  white  patch  on  the  nape  and  sometimes  on  the 
forehead.  *  SURF  SCOTER,  p.  92 

eee.  A  white  spot  before  the  eye  and  white  speculum. 

WHITE-WINGED  SCOTER,  p.  92 

eeee.  No  white  markings.  AMERICAN  SCOTER,  p.  92 

ddddd.  Head  plain   brown   or  brownish,   with   or  without  white 
markings. 

e.  Speculum  gray. 

f.  Wing,  8.75-9. 

g.  Bill  2  or  less. 

REDHEAD  (female),  p.  86 
gg.  Bill  over  2. 

CANVASBACK  (female),  p.  86 
ff.  Wing,  7.50.         RINGNECK    (female),  p.  88 
ee.  Speculum  white. 

f.  Breast  entirely  white. 

g.  A  white  patch  below  and  behind  the 
eye.          BUFFLEHEAD   ( female ) ,  p.  89 
gg.  A  white  spot  at  the  base  of  the  bill. 

GOLDEN-EYE  DUCK  (female),  p.  88 
//.  Breast  dusky  brown  or  rusty. 

g.  No  white  spot  behind  the  eye. 
h.  Bill,  2. 

SCAUP  DUCK  (female),  p.  87 
lili.  Bill,   1.75. 

LESSER  SCAUP  DUCK  (female), 
p.  87 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  77 

gg.  A  white  spot  behind  the  eye. 
h.  Wing,  11. 

WHITE-WINGED  SCOTER  (female), 
p.  92 
/i/i.  Wing,  7.80. 

HARLEQUIN  DUCK  (female),  p.  90 
hhh.  Wing,  5.90. 

RUDDY  DUCK  (female),  p.  93 

d6.  Head  brown,   with  a  white  stripe  down   the  side  of  the 

neck  and  a  long  tail.  PINTAIL  (female),  p.  84 

<F.  Head  and  entire  plumage  gray-blue,  with  irregular  black 

and  white  markings.      HARLEQUIN  DUCK  (female),  p.  90 

da.  Head  gray,  with  a  white  spot  at  the  base  of  the  bill  and 

blue  "shoulder"  to  the  wing. 

BLUE-WINGED  TEAL  ( female ) ,  p.  83 

d9.  Head  gray,  white  around  the  eye  and  base  of  the  bill, 
throat  white.  WOOD  DUCK  (female),  p.  85 

d10.  Head  white,  sides  of  face  gray,  long  tail. 

OLD-SQUAW  (female),  p.  89 

d".  Head  largely  white,  with  a  pea  green  patch  on  the  sides 
of  the  face. 

c.  Crown  gray.  KING  EIDER,  p.  91 

ee.  Crown  black.  EIDER,  p.  91 

<f 2.  Head  and  neck  buff  or  whitish,  finely  streaked  or  speckled 
with  black. 

e.  Shoulder  of  wing  blue. 

/.  Chin  and  patch  at  base  of  bill  pure  white. 
BLUE-WINGED  TEAL,  p.  83 
//.  Chin  and  base  of  bill  uniformly  speckled. 

SHOVELLER,  p.  84 
ee.  Shoulder  dull  brownish. 

f.  Speculum  purplish-blue. 

g.  A  white  border  to  blue  of  speculum. 

MALLARD  (female),  p.  79 
gg.  No  white  border. 

BLACK  DUCK  (female),  p.  80 
ff.  Speculum  green,  edged  with  buff. 

GREEN-WINGED  TEAL  (female),  p.  83 

fff.  Speculum  black  and  white  (or  pearl  gray). 

g.  Sides  of  body  rufous.  BALDPATE,  p.  82 

gg.  Sides     narrowly     barred,     black     and 

white.   GADWALL  (young  male),  p.  81 

ggg.  Sides    coarsely    mottled,    brown    and 

buff.  GADWALL  (female),  p.  81 

ffff-  Speculum  white. 

WHITE-WINGED  SCOTER,  p.  92 
fffff'  Speculum  brownish,  edged  with  cinnamon 
above  and  black  and  white  below. 

PINTAIL  (female),  p.  84 
/c.  Speculum  plain  gray. 

RINGNECK  DUCK  (female),  p.  88 
f.  No  speculum  at  all. 

Female  EIDER  DUCKS,  p.  91 


78          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

129  Mergus  americanus  Cassin. 
Merganser,  Fresh-water  Shelldrake. 

PLATE    8. 

Adult  male. — Length,  21-24.  Wing,  9.60-9.75.  Head  and  throat,  all  around 
glossy  greenish-black ;  upper  back,  black ;  lower  back,  rump  and  tail,  gray ; 
wing-coverts  and  secondaries,  mainly  white ;  under  parts  and  entire  neck  white, 
tinged  with  salmon  in  life. 

Adult  female. — Head  crested,  rufous,  as  is  the  fore  neck  all  around;  throat, 
whitish  ;  entire  upper  parts,  gray  ;  lower  parts,  white  ;  a  white  wing  speculum. 

Winter  resident  on  the  coast,  and  more  especially  on  Delaware  Bay 
and  some  distance  up  the  river.  October  loth  to  May  1st.  Mr.  Bab- 
son1  records  one  taken  at  Princeton  March  10th,  1881,  and  another 
November  18th,  1898,  and  one  was  seen  near  Medford,  October  27th, 
1901,  by  Mr.  G.  S.  Morris,2  but  it  does  not  seem  to  be  common  inland. 
Mr.  G.  E.  Hix3  records  a  flock  of  150  at  Englewood,  February  12th, 
1907,  but  Mr.  Chapman  regards  it  as  not  common  in  that  vicinity. 
Mr.  Thurber  states  that  it  is  rare  at  Morristown. 

130  Mergus  serrator  Linnaeus. 
Eed-breasted  Merganser,  Shelldrake,  Fish  Duck. 

Adult  male. — Length,  20-25.  Wing,  8.60-9.  Entire  throat  black,  somewhat 
glossed  with  green ;  head  crested,  broad  ring  all  around  the  neck  white,  behind 
which  is  a  rusty  band  speckled  with  black,  which  does  not  quite  meet  behind ; 
whole  back,  black;  wings,  largely  white;  sides  and  rump  narrowly  vermicu- 
lated  with  black  and  white ;  lower  parts,  white ;  feet  and  bill,  red. 

Young  male  in  first  winter. — Similar,  but  back  and  rump  largely  gray ;  head 
crested,  grayish-brown;  neck,  gray  above;  throat  and  neck  below,  dull  rusty; 
rusty  breast-band  very  poorly  defined ;  rest  of  under  parts,  white. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  dull  gray  above,  and  breast  slightly  dusky;  no 
rusty. 

Common  migrant,  and  often  winter  resident. 

Owing  to  the  general  confusion  between  this  and  the  following,  I 
am  inclined  to  think  that  some  misstatements  have  been  made  regard- 
ing their  relative  abundance.  This  species  is  said  by  Messrs.  Willits, 
Laurent,  Braislin  and  Scott  to  be  very  common  on  the  coast  at  Barne- 

1  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  35. 

2Cassinia,  1901,  p.  51. 

» Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  XIX.,  p.  28. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  79 

gat  Bay  and  Five  Mile  Beach,  while  the  larger  species  is  uniformly 
reported  rare,  and  Mr.  Chapman  makes  the  same  statement  for  the 
vicinity  of  New  York.  Occurs  from  October  15th  to  May  15th. 
Turnbull  (1869)  states  that  a  few  remain  all  summer,  and  Captain 
Taylor  and  Mr.  Laurent  report  this  to  be  the  case  at  Anglesea,  while 
Mr.  Scott  found  them  in  summer  at  Long  Beach  and  Little  Egg 
Harbor.  At  the  latter  place  he  shot  one  June  28th,  which  seemed  to 
be  a  barren  bird.  No  doubt,  as  he  suggests,  the  summer  stragglers  are 
all  of  this  character. 

Occasional  on  the  Delaware.    Mr.  Babson  reports  only  one  record 
at  Princeton,  taken  by  Professor  Philips,  March  16th,  1881. 


131     Lophodytes   cucullatus    (Linnaeus). 
Hooded  Merganser,  Cock  Robin. 

Adult  male.— Length,  17.25-19.25.  Wing,  7.50-7.90.  Upper  parts  head  and 
throat,  glossy  black ;  a  broad  fan-shaped  crest  on  back  of  the  head  white,  bor- 
dered with  black ;  shoulders  transversely  barred  with  black  and  white ;  sides 
finely  barred  with  black  and  rufous ;  lesser  wing-coverts,  gray ;  a  white  specu- 
lum and  tertials  striped  longitudinally  with  white ;  breast  and  abdomen,  white ; 
under  tail-coverts  mottled  with  gray. 

Adult  female. — Above  grayish-brown ;  crest  tinged  with  rufous ;  a  white 
speculum ;  throat,  white ;  neck  and  upper  breast,  gray ;  rest  of  under  parts, 
white ;  sides,  brownish-gray. 

Transient,  and  occasional  in  winter,  but  not  common  or  regular. 
It  was  apparently  much  more  plentiful  formerly.  Occasional  also 
on  the  Delaware.  November  15th  to  March  25th. 


132     Anas  platyrhynchos  Linnaeus. 
Mallard. 

Adult  male. — Length,  20-25.  Wing,  10.25-12.  Head  and  neck  all  around, 
glossy  green ;  whole  breast  deep  chestnut,  separated  from  the  green  by  a  white 
collar :  back,  grayish-brown  ;  abdomen,  sides  and  scapulars  dull  white,  vermic- 
ulated  with  gray;  a  metallic  blue  speculum  preceded  by  a  black  and  white 
bar ;  edge  of  the  tertials  and  scapulars  over  the  speculum,  chestnut ;  rump  and 
under  tail-coverts  glossy  black,  tinged  with  green  ;  sides  of  tail,  white. 

Adult  female. — Brown  above,  edged  with  buff ;  speculum  as  in  male ;  head 
buff,  narrowly  streaked  with  dusky ;  uniform  dusky  on  the  crown ;  throat, 
unstreaked  ;  breast  and  abdomen  grayish-brown,  streaked  or  mottled  with  dusky. 


80    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Regular  and  common  on  Delaware  Bay  and  for  some  distance  up 
the  river.  Rare  on  the  coast,  Mr.  Chapman1  regards  it  as  irregular 
about  New  York  City.  Mr.  Hann2  finds  it  uncommon  at  Summit,, 
and  Mr.  Babson  at  Princeton.3  Mr.  Laurent4  records  two  secured  in 
winter  at  Anglesea,  where  it  is  rare.  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  (1868)  states 
that  it  formerly  bred  in  Mercer  county.  Occurs  from  October  loth 
to  April  1st. 

Mr.  L.  I.  Smith5  secured  an  interesting  hybrid  between  the  Mallard 
and  Black  Duck  on  the  Delaware,  March  13th,  1901. 


133a     Anas    rubripes   Brewster. 
Red-legged  Black  Duck. 

Similar  to  the  following,  but  throat  streaked  like  the  neck,  instead  of  plain, 
and  legs  red  instead  of  dull  greenish. 

A  migrant  from  far  northward,  occurring  also  in  winter;  less  abun- 
dant than  the  common  Black  Duck. 


133     Anas   rubripes  tristis  Brewster. 
Black  Duck. 

Adults— Length,  21-24.  Wing,  10.50-11.50.  Crown,  blackish ;  rest  of  head 
and  neck  grayish-buff,  narrowly  streaked  with  black;  upper  parts,  blackish- 
brown  ;  lower  parts  dark  brown,  with  buff  edgings ;  a  metallic  blue  speculum. 

Nest  on  the  ground,  made  of  weeds,  grass,  .etc..  lined  with  feathers  and  down. 
Eggs,  six  to  twelve,  greenish-buff,  2.30  x  1.70. 

Abundant  migrant  and  winter  resident  both  on  the  coast  and  on 
the  fresh-water  bays  and  rivers  from  October  15th  to  April  1st. 

Formerly  bred  regularly  along  the  coast,  and  does  so  still  in  small 
numbers.  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily  found  a  nest  at  Ocean  View  March  30th, 


1  Birds  Vicinity  N.  Y.,  p.  139. 

2  Wilson  Bull.,  1905,  p.  119. 

3  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  36. 

4  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  43. 

5  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  48. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  81 

1901,1  but  some  unprincipled  gunner  killed  the  female  before  she  had 
laid  any  eggs.  Mr.  W.  W.  Justice,  Jr.,  tells  me  that  some  are  reported 
nesting  every  year  on  the  shores  of  Barnegat  Bay.  At  the  mouth  of 
the  Egg  Harbor  River  a  nest  with  a  full  set  of  eggs  was  found  May, 
22d,  1908,  by  Mr.  R.  T.  Moore.2  Mr.  W.  B.  Crispin  reports  young 
birds  seen  by  residents  near  Salem,  but  he  never  found  a  nest. 


135     Chaulelasmus  streperus    (Linnaeus). 
Gadwall,  Gray  Duck. 

Adult  male. — Length,  19-21.  Wing,  10-11.  Head  brownish-white,  darker 
above,  thickly  speckled  with  black ;  breast,  neck,  scapulars  and  fore  part  of 
back  black,  thickly  covered  with  concentric  white  marks  producing  a  scaled  ap- 
pearance ;  lower  back,  dull  brown  ;  upper  and  lower  tail-coverts,  black ;  abdo- 
men, white ;  sides  vermiculated,  black  and  white ;  a  white  wing  speculum  pre- 
ceded by  a  black  patch  and  some  chestnut  edgings. 

Adult  female. — Head  buff  or  slightly  rufous,  finely  speckled  with  black; 
upper  parts,  blackish-brown  ;  feathers  all  edged  and  spotted  with  buff  or  cin- 
namon ;  wing  speculum  brown  edged,  with  black  and  buffy  white ;  greater- 
coverts  edged  with  cinnamon ;  under  parts,  dull  white ;  breast  and  neck  buff 
and  speckled  with  black ;  sides  like  the  back. 

Rare  transient.  Individuals  are  occasionally  shot  on  the  coast  or  on 
Delaware  Bay. 

One  was  obtained  early  in  March,  1900,  on  Delaware  Bay.3 


136     Mareca  penelope  (Linnaeus). 
European  Widgeon. 

Adult  male. — Length,  18-20.  Wing,  10-11.  Head,  light  chestnut;  crown, 
white;  back  and  sides  finely  vermiculated  with  white  and  black,  much  lighter 
than  in  the  Baldpate ;  breast,  vinaceous ;  abdomen,  white ;  speculum  glossy 
green,  bordered  before  and  behind  with  black ;  wing-coverts,  white. 

A  rare  straggler  from  Europe. 

Turnbull  (1869)  says  some  are  met  with  almost  every  season. 

One  was  obtained  in  1855  in  the  Philadelphia  market,  apparently 

1  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  48. 
•  2  Cassinia,  1908,  p.  29. 

3  Abst.  Proc.  Del.  Valley  Orn.  Club,  IV.,  p.  4. 

6 


82          KEPOBT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

taken  at  Tuckerton.1  Another  was  taken  on  the  Delaware  March, 
1887,2  and  still  others  at  Tuckerton.3  Mr.  Chapman4  also  records  one 
killed  at  Leonia  by  C.  Demarest  in  spring  of  1880  or  1881,  and  Mr. 
DeL.  Eerier  states,  on  the  authority  of  Mr.  Chas.  W.  Moxon,  that 
several  were  killed  on  Barnegat  Bay  during  the  season  of  1878-79. 


137     Mareca  americana  (Grmelin). 
Baldpate,  Widgeon. 

Adult  male— Length,  18-22.  Wing,  10.25-11.  Head  and  neck  white,  tinged 
with  buff,  and  thickly  speckled  with  black ;  crown,  pure  white ;  behind  the  eye 
and  back  of  the  neck  tinged  with  bronze-green ;  breast  and  sides  vinaceous,  the 
latter  vermiculated  with  black ;  back,  vinaceous  gray ;  gray  on  rump  finely 
vermiculated  with  black ;  wing,  largely  white ;  a  black  speculum  with  bronze- 
green  band  ;  tertials  black  on  outer  web ;  under  parts  of  body,  white ;  under 
tail-coverts,  black. 

Adult  female. — Similar  to  female  Gadwall,  but  speculum  gray,  preceded  by  a 
black  patch,  and  abdomen  speckled  with  obscure  grayish-brown  spots. 

Irregular  transient  on  the  coast  and  about  New  York  City.  More 
frequent  on  Delaware  Bay.  Most  frequently  seen  during  October  and 
November.  One  was  taken  at  Washington's  Crossing,  on  the  upper 
Delaware,  April  14th,  1905,  by  Mr.  J.  G.  Dillen,  and  Thurber  gives 
it  as  a  rare  migrant  at  Morristown. 


138     Nettion  crecca    (Linnaeus). 
European  Teal. 

Similar  in  size  and  coloration  to  the  American  Green-winged  Teal,  but  the 
adult  male  lacks  the  diagonal  white  bar  at  the  shoulder  and  has  the  vermicula- 
tions  of  the  upper  parts  coarser. 

Accidental  straggler  from  Europe.  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  in  his  Keport 
on  the  Birds  of  New  Jersey  (1868)  records  one  taken  at  Trenton. 


1  Proc.  Bost.  Soc.  Nat.  Hist.,  V.,  p.  195. 

2  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  55. 

3  Forest  and  Stream,  1882,  p.  86,  and  Proc.  Bost.  Soc.,  N.  H.,  III.,  p.  21; 
VI.,  p.  376. 

4  Auk,  1889,  p.  302. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  JSTEW  JERSEY.  83 

139     Nettion  carol inensis  (Gmelin). 
Green-winged  Teal. 

Adult  male.— Length,  12.50-15.  Wing,  6.25-7.25.  Head,  chestnut;  throat 
and  broad  band  from  the  eye  to  the  nape,  metallic  green ;  upper  parts  and  sides 
finely  vermiculated,  black  and  white ;  speculum,  metallic  green,  preceded  by  a 
cinnamon  band  and  edged  inside  and  out  by  black  feathers,  the  outer  white 
tipped ;  a  diagonal  white  bar  on  the  shoulder ;  under  parts,  white ;  breast 
tinged  with  vinaceous  and  obscurely  spotted  with  black;  under  tail-coverts 
black  in  the  middle. 

Adult  female. — Above,  dusky,  varied  with  buff  bars  or  edgings;  head,  buff, 
narrowly  streaked  with  dusky ;  under  parts  and  wings  as  in  the  male,  but 
breast  more  buffy,  with  dusky  centers  to  the  feathers. 

Transient  and  occasional  winter  resident.  Rare  on  the  coast,  but, 
according  to  Mr.  W.  W.  Justice,  Jr.,  and  others,  it  is  seen  consistently 
on  Delaware  Bay,  though  not  in  large  numbers.  Mr.  George  E.  Hix1 
records  thirteen  in  Palisades  Park,  December  2d,  1905,  but  Mr.  Chap- 
man regards  it  as  rather  uncommon  in  that  vicinity.  Mr.  Hann 
reports  it  uncommon  at  Summit,2  and  Mr.  Fowler3  on  the  Upper 
Delaware,  while  Mr.  Babson4  says  it  is  rare  but  regular  about  Prince- 
ton. Migrants  occur  in  September  and  April. 


140     Querquedula  discors  (Linnaeus). 
Blue-winged  Teal. 

Adult  male.— Length,  14.50-16.  Wing,  7-7.50.  Head  and  neck  plumbeous, 
dusky  on  crown  and  glossed  with  violet  on  the  occiput;  a  large,  curved  white 
patch  in  front  of  the  eye ;  upper  part,  dusky  brown,  with  curved  markings  and 
edgings  of  buff ;  wing  speculum,  metallic  green,  preceded  by  white ;  coverts  and 
inner  scapulars,  light  blue;  tertials,  black,  streaked  with  buff;  under  parts, 
white,  strongly  tinged  with  cinnamon,  especially  on  the  breast,  and  everywhere 
barred  or  mottled  with  dull  black. 

Adult  female. — Dusky  above ;  feathers  edged  with  buff ;  wings  as  in  male, 
but  blue,  less  extensive ;  under  parts  similar  but  whiter,  with  less  spotting ; 
head,  buff,  streaked  with  dusky;  throat,  white. 

Transient  and  rarely  winter  resident.  Occurs  about  the  same  time 
and  in  the  same  numbers  as  the  preceding,  though  perhaps  rather  more 
plentiful,  and,  like  it,  a  fresh-water  species. 

1Abst.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  XVIII.,  p.  14. 

2  Wilson  Bull.,  1905,  p.  119. 

8  Cassinia,  1903,  p.  47. 

4  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  36. 


84          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

142     Spatula  clypeata   (Linnaeus). 
Shoveller,  Spoonbill  Duck. 

Adult  male,— Length,  17-21.  Wing,  9-10.  Head  and  neck,  metallic  green; 
back,  grayish-brown ;  rump,  upper  and  under  tail-coverts,  black,  glossed  with 
green  ;  breast,  white  ;  abdomen,  chestnut ;  wing-coverts,  light  blue  ;  speculum, 
metallic  green,  bordered  in  front  with  white. 

Adult  female. — Grayish-brown  above ;  feathers  with  U-shaped  marks  of  buff ; 
head,  light  buffy,  speckled  with  brown ;  crown,  dusky  ;  wings  as  in  male,  but 
duller ;  under  parts,  grayish-brown,  tinged  with  vinaceous ;  sides  barred  with 
buff. 

A  rare  transient  or  winter  visitant.  I  have  only  the  following 
recent  records : 

Anglesea;  winter,  1888-9.    Capt.  John  Taylor.1 

Atlantic  City;  winter,  1888.    I.  N.  DeHaven.2 

Salem  county;  September  23d,  1904.    Dr.  W.  R.  Wharton.3 

143     Dafila  acuta   (Linnaeus). 
Pintail,  Sprigtail. 

Adult  male. — Length,  21-23.  Wing,  9.60-10.  Head  brown,  a  dusky  band  on 
the  crown  and  back  of  the  neck,  and  a  slight  metallic  gloss  on  each  side  of  the 
occiput ;  upper  parts  and  sides,  gray,  with  fine  black  and  white  vermiculations ; 
scapulars  largely  black,  with  buff  or, gray  edgings;  wings  and  tail,  gray;  a 
rather  dull  metallic  speculum  bordered  in  front  by  cinnamon,  beind  by  black 
and  white ;  center  tail  feathers,  black,  much  lengthened ;  under  parts,  white, 
vermiculated  with  gray  posteriorly ;  under  tail-coverts,  black. 

Adult  female. — Brownish-gray  above ;  head  and  neck  narrowly  streaked  with 
dusky ;  back  with  U-shaped  marks  of  pale  buff ;  under  parts,  dull  white,  some- 
what mottled  with  dusky. 

Common  transient,  and  less  common  winter  resident.  Most  plenti- 
ful on  Delaware  Bay,  and  frequent  above  Philadelphia.  Occurs  most 
abundantly  in  October  and  November. 


1  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  43. 

2  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  37. 

3  Burns,  Wilson  Bull.,  1905,  p.  27. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  85 

144     Aix  sponsa   (Linnaeus). 
Wood  Duck,  Summer  Duck. 

PLATE  9. 

Adult  male.— Length,  19-20.  Wing,  9-9.50.  Above,  black  or  brownish-black ; 
feathers  variously  glossed  and  tipped  with  metallic  blue  and  green;  seconda- 
ries, tipped  with  white ;  outer  edge  of  primaries  toward  their  tips,  silvery ; 
head,  crested  metallic  green  and  purple;  a  white  stripe  over  the  eye,  another 
behind  it;  throat,  white,  running  well  up  to  the  cheeks  and  back  of  the  ear- 
coverts  ;  breast,  maroon-chestnut,  spotted  with  triangular  white  spots ;  lower 
breast  and  abdomen,  white;  sides  of  body  finely  vermiculated  with  black  and 
buff;  under  tail-coverts,  dark  brown,  glossed  with  green,  a  maroon  patch  on 
each  side  at  base  of  the  tail,  and  a  diagonal  band  of  black  and  white  across  the 
shoulder. 

Adult  female. — Length,  17-19.  Dark  brown  above,  somewhat  glossed  with 
metallic  colors,  but  very  much  duller  than  the  male;  head,  gray,  glossed  with 
green  on  the  crown  ;  a  white  band  all  around  the  base  of  the  bill,  and  a  white 
spot  before  and  behind  the  eye ;  throat,  white,  running  up  behind  the  ear- 
coverts  ;  breast,  dull  brown,  spotted  with  white  and  buff ;  abdomen,  white. 

Nest  in  a  hollow  tree,  composed  of  grass,  leaves,  etc.,  lined  with  down ;  eggs, 
eight  to  fifteen,  pale  buffy  white,  2  x  1.50. 

Rare  summer  resident,  and  somewhat  more  plentiful  transient. 
Formerly  a  common  species,  but  rapidly  reduced  in  numbers. 

Mr.  R.  T.  Morris1  records  it  in  winter  on  the  Hackensack  marshes, 
and  it  has  been  reported  by  others  as  a  winter  resident,  but  it  is  cer- 
tainly rare  at  this  season.  Mr.  Babson2  says  that  four  or  five  pairs 
breed  along  the  Millstone  River,  near  Princeton,  where  he  observed 
them  from  February  28th  to  November  28th.  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily  saw 
several  at  Spotswood  November  23d,  1895.  Two  nests  are  mentioned 
by  "B.  B.,"  one  on  the  Passaic  River  and  the  other  in  Ocean  county.8 
Mr.  W.  B.  Crispin  writes  me  that  he  found  a  nest  containing  sixteen 
eggs  April  25th,  1908,  in  a  natural  cavity  of  a  Black  Gum  tree,  about 
forty  feet  up,  in  a  wood  containing  a  colony  of  Great  Blue  Herons,  in 
Salem  county.  Mr.  Stewardson  Brown  tells  me  of  a  duck's  nest  that 
had  been  described  to  him,  obviously  of  this  species,  found  in  a  hollow 
tree  near  Blackwood,  Camden  county,  in  the  spring  of  1908.  Alex. 
Wilson4  describes  a  nest  on  the  Tuckahoe  River  which  he  visited  May 
18th. 


1  Forest  and  Stream,  1888,  p.  485. 

2  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  37. 
8  O.  and  O.,  1884,  p.  3-4. 

4  Amer.  Orn.,  VIII.,  p.  97. 


86    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

146  Marila   americana    (Eyton). 

Redhead. 

Adult  male.— Length,  17-21.  Wing,  8.50-9.25.  Head  and  upper  neck,  en- 
tirely bright  chestnut  red;  lower  neck,  breast  and  shoulders,  black;  back  and 
sides  narrowly  vermiculated  with  black  and  white ;  upper  tail-coverts,  dusky ; 
under  surface,  white ;  crissum,  dusky ;  wings,  gray ;  greater  coverts  lighter, 
some  of  them  edged  with  black. 

Adult  female. — Above,  dull  grayish-brown,  brighter  on  head,  neck  and  sides ; 
breast,  dusky ;  abdomen,  white ;  brownish  posteriorly ;  wings  as  in  the  male ; 
chin,  whitish. 

Regular  transient,  and  occasional  in  midwinter,  but  somewhat  vari- 
able in  its  abundance.  Rarely  seen  on  the  Delaware.  Plentiful  on 
Barnegat  Bay  (Justice),  but  not  common  at  Cape  May  (Hand). 
Occurs  from  October  to  March. 

147  Marila  vallisneria   (Wilson). 

Canyas-back. 

PLATE  10. 

Adult  male. — Length,  20-23.  Wing,  8.75-9.25.  Similar  to  the  Redhead,  but 
top  of  head,  lores  and  chin,  dusky ;  back  and  sides  very  much  whiter,  and  under 
surface  grayer,  due  to  scattered  dusky  specks  and  wavy  lines;  bill"  very  dif- 
ferent ;  longer  and  sloping  gradually  from  far  up  on  the  forehead. 

Adult  female. — Differs  from  female  Redhead  in  lighter  back ;  grayer  under 
surface  and  darker  crown.  Bills  differ  as  in  males. 

Transient,  but  not  common.  Shot  mainly  on  Barnegat  Bay.  Mr. 
W.  W.  Justice,  Jr.,  took  one  there  on  November  14th,  1906;  another 
was  shot  October  25th,  1907,  at  Manahawkin,1  and  Dr.  Braislin  re- 
ports another  January  25th,  1909. 

I  have  no  recent  records  for  the  Delaware  River,  although  in  Wil- 
son's time  it  was  frequent  from  Burlington  to  Eagle  Point.  He  also 
describes  a  wonderful  congregation  of  these  birds  which  assembled  on 
Great  Egg  Harbor  Bay  when  a  vessel  loaded  with  wheat  was  wrecked. 
Two  hundred  and  forty  were  killed  in  one  day,  though  the  species  had 
scarcely  been  seen  there  before. 

At  Cape  May  Mr.  Hand  tells  me  that  not  more  than  two  or  three 
have  been  killed  in  his  experience. 


Oldys,  Auk,  1908,  p.  80. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  87 

148     Marila  marila   (Linnaeus). 
Greater  Scaup,  Broadbill,  Bluebill. 

Adult  male. — Length,  18-20.  Wing,  8.25-9.  Entire  head,  neck,  breast  and 
fore  part  of  back,  as  well  as  rump,  wings,  upper  and  lower  tail-coverts  and 
tail,  black ;  head  glossed  above,  and  on  the  sides  with  green ;  throat  with 
purple ;  scapulars  and  middle  of  back  vermiculated  with  black  and  white ;  a 
white  wing  speculum  ;  abdomen,  white,  vermiculated  posteriorly  and  faintly  on 
the  sides  with  black. 

Adult  female. — Above,  dull  black ;  finely  speckled  with  gray  on  middle  of 
back,  becoming  reddish-brown  on  back,  sides  of  neck  and  breast ;  a  white  area 
on  side  of  head  next  to  bill,  involving  forehead  and  chin ;  abdomen,  white,  be- 
coming brown  on  sides  and  dusky  posteriorly ;  a  white  wing  speculum. 

Abundant  transient  and  winter  resident;  the  most  plentiful  species 
on  Barnegat  Bay,  where  it  remains  so  long  as  the  water  is  open,  re- 
turning when  the  ice  disappears.  Occasional  on  the  Delaware  and  at 
Princeton.  This  species  is  so  generally  confused  with  the  next  that  it 
is  difficult  to  determine  which  is  the  more  plentiful.  According  to 
Mr.  Chapman/  for  the  vicinity  of  New  York;  Mr.  Scott,2  for  Long 
Beach,  and  Mr.  Laurent,3  for  Five  Mile  Beach  region,  this  species  is 
the  more  abundant  one.  Occurs  from  October  to  April  15th,  while 
Mr.  Scott  has  seen  flocks  as  late  as  May  1st. 


149     Marila  affinis   (Eyton). 
Lesser  Scaup,  Creek  Broadbill. 

Adult  male. — Length,  15-16.50.  Wing,  7.50-8.25.  Similar  to  the  preceding, 
but  head  glossed  with  purple  on  top,  and  with  sides  of  the  body  strongly  vermic- 
ulated with  black  and  white  like  the  back. 

Adult  female. — Differs  only  in  size  from  female  Greater  Scaup. 

Common  transient  or  winter  visitant.  Occurs  at  the  same  time  and 
in  the  same  way  as  the  preceding,  though  probably  not  so  plentiful. 
Usually  confused  with  it. 

1  Birds  Vicinity  N.  Y.,  p.  33. 

2  B.  N.  O.  C.,  1879,  p.  226. 
8  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  44. 


88    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

150     Manila  collaris   (Donovon). 
Ring-necked  Duck. 

Adult  male. — Length,  15.50-18.  Wing,  8-8.50.  Upper  surface,  black ;  head, 
neck  and  fore  part  of  breast,  black ;  the  head  and  neck  glossed  with  purple ; 
chin,  white;  a  narrow  chestnut  collar  completely  encircles  the  neck;  wing 
speculum,  gray ;  under  part  of  body,  white,  finely  vermiculated  with  gray  on 
the  sides  and  posterior  part  of  the  abdomen ;  under  tail-coverts,  black. 

Adult  female. — Above,  dull  black  ;  breast  and  sides  and  back  of  neck,  brown, 
with  a  rusty  tint ;  sides  of  face  and  throat,  white,  mottled  with  gray  ;  abdo- 
men, white,  brown  on  the  sides  and  posteriorly. 

Rare  transient. 

Wilson1  records  one  shot  on  the  Delaware  March  10th,  and  Turn- 
bull  (1869)  regarded  them  as  frequent,  which  they  are  certainly  not 
at  the  present  time. 

Mr*  S.  1ST.  Rhoads  tells  me  he  has  seen  two  or  three  on  Newton 
Creek,  Camden  county. 

151     Clangula  clangula  americana  (Bonaparte). 
Golden-eye,  Whistler,  Cubhead. 

Adult  male. — Length,  19-23.  Wing,  9-9.25.  Head  and  throat  all  around, 
black,  glossed  with  green  above,  violet  below  ;  a  white  patch  at  the  base  of  the 
bill ;  back,  black ;  wings  with  scapulars,  coverts  and  secondaries,  largely  white, 
streaked  with  black ;  neck  and  entire  under  parts,  white ;  a  few  black  streaks 
on  the  sides  and  flanks ;  tail,  gray. 

Adult  female. — Length,  16.50.  Wing,  8.  Head  and  throat  all  around,  brown  ; 
upper  parts,  gray ;  wing  with  a  large  white  patch  ;  beneath,  white,  with  a  gray 
breast  baud. 

Young  in  first  winter. — Similar  to  adult  female,  but  with  white  neck,  and 
more  or  less  developed  white  spots  at  the  base  of  the  bill ;  scapulars  with  white 
centers,  and  feathers  of  head  and  back  somewhat  tipped  with  black. 

Tolerably  common  transient  or  winter  visitant  on  the  bays  along 
the  coast.  Rare  or  casual  on  the  rivers.  Occurs  October  loth  to 
April  1st. 

One  was  killed  at  Princeton  in  January,  18 17.2 


1  Amer.  Orn.,  VIII.,  p.  61. 

2  Green,  Doughty's  Cab.  Nat.  Hist.,  II.,  pp.  7-10. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  89 

153     Charitonetta  albeola   (Linnaeus). 
Bufflehead,  Butterball. 

Adult  mote.— Length,  12.25-13.50.  Wing,  5.90-6.  Back,  black ;  head  crested 
with  metallic  purple  and  green,  with  a  large  fan-shaped  area  from  the  eye  to  the 
nape,  white ;  entire  under  parts  and  collar  around  the  neck,  white ;  feathers 
on  sides  narrowly  edged  with  black;  wing,  black,  with  a  large  white  shoulder 
patch,  including  some  of  the  secondaries,  some  of  the  coverts  edged  with  black ; 
rump,  grayish-white;  tail,  gray. 

Adult  female. — Dark  grayish-brown  above ;  a  white  area  on  each  side  of  the 
face;  throat,  grayish-brown;  rest  of  under  parts,  white;  sides  washed  with 
gray ;  wing  speculum,  white ;  lesser  coverts,  gray. 

Common  transient  and  winter  resident  both  along  the  coast  and  on 
Delaware  Bay.  November  1st  to  April  15th.  A  few  each  }rear  on  the 
Upper  Delaware,  and  regular,  and  not  uncommon  at  Princeton.1 

154     Harelda  hyemalis  (Linnaeus). 
Old-squaw,  Old-wife,  Longtail,  South-southerly. 

Adult  male  in  winter. — Length,  21-23.  Wing,  8.50-9.  Back  and  wings, 
black ;  scapulars,  pale  pearl-gray ;  head  and  neck  all  around,  white ;  face, 
gray,  and  a  large  spot  on  the  side  of  the  neck,  black,  sometimes  joined  by  a 
chestnut  patch ;  whole  breast,  black ;  abdomen,  white ;  tail,  black  in  middle ; 
outer  feathers,  white  ;  center  feathers,  very  much  elongated  ;  bill,  black,  with  an 
orange  band. 

In  spring. — Gray  on  front  part  of  the  head;  rest  of  head  and  neck,  black; 
scapulars,  black,  edged  with  brown. 

Adult  female  in  winter. — Length,  15-16.  Back  nearly  all  dusky ;  top  of  head, 
dusky ;  black  on  under  parts  restricted  to  a  collar  on  the  neck. 

Common  winter  resident  along  the  coast.  October  to  the  middle  of 
April.  Mr.  W.  W.  Justice  killed  one  at  Beach  Haven  as  late  as  June, 
in  1899 ;  doubtless  a  barren  bird.  Casual  on  the  Delaware  above  Phila- 
delphia, and  a  rare  migrant  at  Morristown  (Thurber). 


1  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  38. 


90          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

155     Histrionicus  histrionicus  (Linnaeus). 
Harlequin  Duck. 

Adult  male. — Length,  15-17.  Wing,  7.50-8.  General  color,  bluish-slate; 
browner  on  the  abdomen,  and  purplish-black  on  the  throat,  neck  and  rump,  and 
a  similar  line  down  the  crown ;  sides,  bright  rusty ;  a  metallic  blue-black  patch 
on  the  middle  of  the  wing.  Conspicuous  white  marks,  bordered  with  black, 
occur  as  follows :  A  patch  at  base  of  bill ;  one  on  the  ear-coverts,  followed  by 
a  streak  on  the  side  of  the  neck ;  a  circle  completely  round  the  neck,  and  a 
broad  band  across  the  shoulder ;  the  scapulars  are  streaked  with  white  and  the 
purplish  crown  streak  is  bordered  with  white  and  chestnut. 

Adult  female  and  young  in  first  winter. — Brown  above,  including  neck,  breast, 
sides  and  crissum ;  abdomen,  dull  white ;  sides  of  face  in  front  of  the  eye, 
whitish,  and  a  white  patch  on  the  ear-coverts. 

Very  rare  winter  visitant. 

There  are  no  records  for  the  State  except  Turnbull's  statement 
(1869)  that  it  is  "a  very  rare  visitant  from  the  North  to  the  sea- 
shore." 

156     Camptorhynchus   labradorius    (Gmelin). 
Labrador  Duck. 

Adult  male. — Length,  18-23.  Wing,  8.75.  Middle  and  lower  back  and  tail, 
as  well  as  a  ring  around  the  base  of  the  neck,  a  stripe  down  the  middle  of  the 
crown  and  entire  abdomen,  black;  sides  of  head,  breast,  scapulars  and  wing- 
coverts,  white. 

Female. — Dull  grayish-brown,  with  a  white  wing  speculum. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  adult  female,  but  with  white  showing 
faintly  on  throat  and  breast. 

Extinct.     Formerly  a  regular  transient  or  winter  visitant. 

Audubon  (1838)  says:  "Along  the  coast  of  New  Jersey  it  occurs 
in  greater  or  less  numbers  every  year.  It  also  at  times  enters  the 
Delaware  River  and  ascends  that  stream  at  least  as  far  as  Philadel- 
phia." Turnbull  (1869)  says:  "Rare;  a  few  are  seen  every  season/' 
which  seems  to  be  the  last  word  we  have  on  its  occurrence  in  New 
Jersey. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  91 

160     Somateria  dresseri   Sharpe. 
Eider. 

Adults. — Length,  20-26.  Wing,  11-12.  Besides  the  totally  different  bill,  this 
species  differs  from  the  King  Eider  in  having  the  top  of  the  head  black,  divided 
posteriorly  by  the  white  of  the  neck ;  by  having  white  scapulars,  and  by  lacking 
the  black  V  on  the  throat. 

Adult  female  and  young  male  are  similar  to  corresponding  plumages  of  the 
King  Eider,  but  may  easily  be  recognized  by  the  shape  of  the  bill  and  the 
feathering  at  its  base. 

Very  rare  winter  visitant. 

Turnbull  (1869)  says  it  "has  been  seen  occasionally  at  Egg  Har- 
bor/' and  John  Krider1  records  "four  full-phimaged  birds  obtained 
at  Barnegat  in  the  month  of  February/' 

162     Somateria  spectabilis  (Linnaeus). 
King  Eider. 

Adult  male. — Length,  23-24.  Wing,  10.50-11.25.  Head,  blue-gray  on  top, 
pale  green  on  sides  of  face,  black  next  to  the  swollen  base  of  the  bill,  and  a 
black  V  on  the  throat ;  whole  neck  and  breast,  cream  color ;  a  white  patch  on 
each  side  of  the  rump,  and  on  the  wing-coverts ;  bill,  back,  abdomen,  wings  and 
tail  black. 

Adult  female  and  young  male  in  first  winter. — Head  and  neck,  grayish-buff, 
finely  speckled  with  black ;  throat,  unspotted ;  sides  and  breast,  brownish,  with 
black  bars,  or  semi-circles  on  the  feathers;  middle  of  abdomen,  plain  grayish- 
brown  ;  above  more  coarsely  barred  with  black  and  brown. 

Rare  winter  visitant.  Wilson  says  it  "is  occasionally  seen  in  winter 
as  far  South  as  the  Capes  of  Delaware,"  and  Turnbull  (1869),  that 
"it  has  been  observed  at  Egg  Harbor  during  severe  winters,  the  speci- 
mens obtained  being  generally  young  birds."  Krider2'  records  two 
taken  at  Egg  Harbor  and  one  at  Tuckerton. 

The  only  recent  record  that  I  know  of  is  one  obtained  by  Mr.  L.  I. 
Smith,3  December  4th,  1900,  on  the  Delaware,  below  Philadelphia.  It 
is  of  regular  occurrence  on  Long  Island. 

1  Field  Notes,  p.  76. 

2  Field  Notes,  p.  76. 

8  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  47. 


92          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

163     Oidemia  americana  Swainson. 
Scoter,  Coot  Duck. 

Adult  male. — Length,  17-21.  Wing,  8.75-9.50.  Entire  plumage  black  ;  basal 
half  of  upper  mandible  and  knob  at  base,  yellow ;  rest  of  bill,  black. 

Adult  female  and  young  in  first  winter. — Dusky  grayish-brown  above ;  gray- 
brown  below  ;  bill,  dull  black. 

Common  winter  resident  and  abundant  transient  off  the  shore  be- 
yond the  breakers,  occasionally  driven  into  the  bays  or  thoroughfares. 

165     Oidemia  deglandi  Bonaparte. 
White- winged  Scoter. 

Adult  male. — Length,  20-23.  Wing,  11-11.40.  Black,  more  or  less  tinged 
with  brown ;  a  pure  white  speculum,  and  a  white  patch  on  the  ear-coverts ; 
sides  of  bill,  orange-red. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  browner,  with  a  white  wing  speculum,  but  no 
white  on  the  head. 

Common  winter  resident,  occurring  with  the  other  species.  It  is 
difficult  to  ascertain  their  relative  abundance. 

166     Oidemia  perspicillata    (Linnaeus). 
Surf  Scoter. 

Adult  male.— Length,  20-22.  Wing,  9.50.  Black,  with  a  pure  white  trian- 
gular patch  on  the  forehead,  and  a  larger  patch  on  the  back  of  the  neck ;  bill, 
red,  with  a  large  black  spot  on  the  swollen  part  on  each  side  near  the  base. 

Adult  female. — General  plumage,  grayish-brown  or  dusky,  indistinctly  mot- 
tled with  lighter  below ;  a  little  white  at  the  base  of  the  bill ;  bill  not  swollen. 

Young  male  in  first  winter. — Similar  to  the  female,  but  whiter  beneath,  with 
two  dull  white  patches  on  each  side  of  the  head. 

Common  winter  resident  with  the  other  species  of  Scoter. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  93 

/• 
167     Erismatura  jamaicensis  (Gmelin). 

Ruddy  Duck,  Sleepy  Duck. 

Adult  male  in  spring. — Length,  14-16.  Wing,  5.75-6.  Above,  bright  chest- 
nut ;  top  of  head,  black,  extending  down  the  back  of  the  neck  in  a  point ;  sides 
of  face  and  chin,  white ;  entire  neck,  chestnut ;  under  parts,  silvery  white,  with 
gray  bases  to  the  feathers ;  wing  and  tail,  brownish-black. 

Female  and  male  in  winter. — Above,  minutely  mottled  black  and  white,  with 
a  trace  of  chestnut  here  and  there  in  male;  entire  neck,  gray;  top  of  head, 
dusky;  face,  white. 

Young  male  in  first  autumn. — Similar  below,  but  upper  surface  blackish, 
with  coarser  transverse  bands  of  dull  white  and  buff;  head,  brownish  on  top, 
and  white  face  not  clearly  defined  ;  a  dusky  stripe  runs  from  the  bill  to  the 
ear-coverts. 

A  tolerably  common  migrant,  more  plentiful  on  fresh  water.  Oc- 
curs at  Princeton  in  small  numbers,  March  to  April  and  October  1st 
to  November  20th. 

169     Chen  hyperborea  (Pallas). 
Snow  Goose. 

Adults.— Length,  23-28.  Wing,  14.5O-17.  Similar  in  all  plumages  to  the 
next ;  differs  only  in  size. 

Very  rare  transient  or  winter  visitant. 

A  pair  were  obtained  many  years  ago  by  Mr.  John  Cassin  in  the 
Philadelphia  market,  said  to  have  been  taken  in  the  vicinity,  and  one 
was  shot  on  the  Delaware,  above  Chester,  December,  1890,  by  Mr.  W. 
V.  Wilbank.1 

169a     Chen  hyperborea  nivalis  (Forster). 
Greater  Snow  Goose. 

Adults. — Length,  30-38.  Wing,  17.35-17.50.  Pure  white,  except  the  black 
primaries,  and  a  rusty  stain  often  seen  on  the  head ;  bill,  dull  red,  with  a  white 
"nail ;"  feet,  dull  red. 

Young  in  first  winter. — Similar,  but  upper  parts  gray. 


1  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  59. 


94    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Rare  transient  or  winter  visitant. 

Gunners  report  them  as  casual  along  the  coast.  Formerly  they  were 
regularly  abundant  in  Delaware  Bay  from  the  middle  of  February 
until  March,  and  along  both  shores  below  Reedy  Island,1  and  some 
are  still  to  be  found  there,  according  to  Mr.  Hand,  who  tells  me  they 
come  up  regularly  to  Salem  Cove  to  feed.  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  took  two 
on  the  bay  March  5th,  1879,  and  January,  1882,  and  according  to  C. 
S.  Wescott,2  they  were  common  in  the  latter  season  just  below  Bombay 
Hook,  though  usually  only  seen  there  in  spring.  Mr.  Julian  Bur- 
roughs3 reports  a  large  flock  fogbound  on  the  Hudson,  off  Gordon's 
Point,  January,  1909. 

Mr.  Fowler4  reports  several  at  Edgewater  Park,  on  the  Delaware,  in 
the  winter  of  1904-5. 


169.1     Chen  caerulescens   (Linnaeus). 
Blue  Goose. 

Adults.*— "Length,  27-30.  Wing,  15-17.  Head  and  upper  neck,  white  (or 
with  rusty  stains)  ;  upper  surface,  lower  neck,  breast  and  sides,  plumbeous  ; 
abdomen  and  crissum,  white ;  wing-coverts,  light  gray. 

Young  in  first  winter. — Similar,  but  head  and  neck  plumbeous,  except  the 
chin. 

Turnbull  (1869)  says:  "In  some  seasons  not  uncommon  on  the 
Delaware  and  Atlantic  coast."  Normally  a  bird  of  the  interior. 


171a     Anser  albifrons  gambeli   (Hartlaub). 
White-fronted  Goose. 

Adults. — Length,  27-30.  Wing,  14.50-17.50.  Grayish-brown  above,  as  well 
as  head,  neck,  breast  and  sides,  with  white  around  the  base  of  the  bill  and  tail 
tipped  with  white;  abdomen,  white,  with  black  feathers  scattered  here  and 
there  irregularly. 

Young  in  first  winter. — Similar,  but  no  black  feathers  below,  and  white  at 
base  of  bill  dusky. 

Rare  winter  visitant. 


1  Wilson,  Amer.  Orn.,  VIII.,  p.  70. 

2  Forest  and  Stream,  January  5th,  1882,  p.  447. 

3  Forest  and  Stream,  January  23d,  1909,  p.  133. 

4  Cassinia,  1905,  p.  72. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  95 

Besides  TurnbulPs  statement  that  it  is  rare,  we  have  Dr.  C.  C. 
Abbott's  (1868)  record  of  one  shot  at  Barnegat  many  years  ago,  and 
the  statement  of  Mr.  Chas.  A.  Voelker  that  one  was  shot  on  the  Dela- 
ware in  1877,  which  was  mounted  by  him. 


172     Branta  canadensis  (Linnaeus). 
Canada  Goose. 

PLATE    11. 

Adults. — Length,  35-43.  Wing,  16-21.  Above,  blackish-brown,  feathers  with 
lighter  edgings ;  under  parts,  gray ;  whole  head  and  neck,  black,  except  a  broad 
white  patch  running  from  behind  the  eyes  across  the  cheeks  and  throat ;  chin, 
black. 

Common  transient  or  winter  visitant  both  on  the  coast  and  on  Dela- 
ware Bay,  and  frequently  seen  in  the  migrations  flying  high  overhead 
inland.  October  1st  to  April  15th. 

Occasionally  alights  during  storms  on  ponds  in  the  interior. 

172a     Branta  canadensis  hutchinsi    (Richardson). 
Hutchins's  Goose. 

Similar  to  the  Canada  Goose,  but  smaller.  Length,  25-34.  Wing,  14.75- 
17.75. 

This  is  a  western  variety  of  the  Canada  Goose,  and  has  been  taken 
on  Long  Island.1  "Homo/'  writing  in  Forest  and  Stream,  March 
2d,  1882,  says  that  he  shot  one  at  Tuckerton,  and  that  the  bird  is  well 
known  on  Barnegat  Bay  by  the  name 'of  Sedge  Goose.  I  know  of  no 
other  record  for  New  Jersey. 

173     Branta  bernicla  glaucogastra  (Brehm). 
Brant. 

Adults. — Length,  24-30.  Wing,  12.50-13.50.  Brownish-gray  above,  feathers 
edged  with  whitish;  pale  gray  below,  becoming  white  on  posterior  parts  and 
crissum ;  whole  head,  neck,  upper  breast  and  back,  black,  making  a  sharp  con- 
trast with  the  gray  abdomen ;  a  small  patch  of  white  streaks  on  each  side  of 
the  neck. 

1  Chapman's  Handbook,  p.  122. 


96    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Abundant  transient  and  winter  resident;  probably  the  most  com- 
mon game  bird  of  Barnegat  Bay.  At  Cape  May  Mr.  Hand  tells  me  it 
is  only  a  straggler,  the  flights  keeping  well  off  shore.  Occurs  from 
October  to  May.  Mr.  Fowler  reports  it  as  occasional  on  the  Delaware. 


174     Branta  nigricans  (Lawrence). 
Black  Brant. 

Adults. — Length,  22-29.  Wing,  12.50-13.50.  Similar  to  the  Common  Brant, 
but  upper  parts  darker  and  more  sooty ;  abdomen,  dark  sooty,  scarcely  dis- 
tinguishable from  the  breast,  but  anal  region  and  crissum,  white;  neck  with 
larger  white  areas,  forming  a  nearly  complete  collar. 

Winter  straggler  from  the  West;  rare. 

Mr.  G.  N.  Lawrence  obtained  the  type  specimen  of  this  species  at 
Egg  Harbor,  January,  1846,  and  later  two  more  were  obtained  at  the 
same  place.1  Mr.  John  Krider  shot  one  at  Barnegat  and  another  at 
Beesley's  Point,2  and  Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott3  saw  two  taken  by  gunners, 
April  5th,  1877,  at  Long  Beach. 


180     Olor  columbianus  (Ord). 
Whistling  Swan.    • 

Adults. — Length,  55.     Wing,  21-22.     Whole  plumage,  pure  white;    bill,  lores 
and  feet,  black,  sometimes  with  a  small  yellow  spot  on  the  lores. 
Young  in  first  winter,  ashy  gray ;    bill,  flesh  color ;    feet,  grayish. 

Rare  transient. 

One  was  shot  on  the  Delaware  River,  below  Philadelphia,  Decem- 
ber, 1890,  by  Mr.  W.  V.  Wilbank,4  and  others  have  occasionally  been 
taken  in  the  same  vicinity. 

Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott  saw  a  flock  of  nine  passing  over  Barnegat  Bay 
in  November,  1876,c  and  Mr.  H.  W.  Hand  tells  me  that  a  flock  of  four 
passed  over  Cape  May  in  the  eighties,  and  one  was  shot.  In  the 
winter  of  1908-1909  several  were  seen  on  Barnegat  Bay,  and  one  was 
shot  at  Atlantic  City,  in  January. 


1  Ann.  Lye.,  N.  Y.,  IV.,  p.  171. 

2  Field  Notes,  p.  71. 

3  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  226. 

4  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  60. 
6  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  226. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  97 

Order  HERODIONES. 

Ibises  and  Herons. 

Family  IBIDID&. 

THE  IBISES. 

Birds  of  the  south,  only  occasionally  straggling  north  to  New  Jer- 
sey. The  Ibises  are  allied  to  the  Herons,  but  with  a  curved  bill,  which 
is  nearly  round  in  cross-section. 

a.  Plumage  bronze  above ;    chestnut  or  dull  brown  below.    GLOSSY  IBIS,  p.  97 

aa.  Plumage  white.  WHITE  IBIS,  p.  97 

aaa.  Plumage  brown  above,  white  below.  WHITE  IBIS   (young),  p.  97 

184     Guara  alba  (Linnaeus). 
White  Ibis. 

Adults.— Length,  21.50-27.50.  Wing,  10.50-11.50.  White,  the  four  outer 
primaries  tipped  with  black ;  head  with  bare  orange-red  patches. 

Young  in  first  year  grayish-brown  on  the  back,  head  and  neck  streaked  with 
dusky. 

Formerly  a  very  rare  straggler  from  the  south. 

Audubon  states,  in  1835,  that  "a  few  individuals  of  this  species 
have  been  procured  in  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey."  Turnbull 
"shot  one  at  Great  Egg  Harbor  in  the  summer  of  1858,"  and  there  is 
a  mounted  specimen,  possibly  this  same  one,  in  the  collection  of  the 
Philadelphia  Academy,  labeled  New  Jersey. 

186     Plegadis  autumnalis   (Linnaeus). 
Glossy  Ibis. 

Adults.— Length,  22-25.  Wing,  10.20-11.80.  Above,  glossy  bronze,  with 
green  and  purple  reflections;  head,  neck  and  under  parts,  chestnut. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Lower  parts,  dull  brownish  ;  head  and  neck  streaked 
with  white  and  dusky. 

7 


98          REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Very  rare  straggler. 

Ord1  states  that  Mr.  Thomas  Say,  on  May  7th,  1817,  "received  from 
Mr.  Gram,  of  Great  Egg  Harbor,  a  fine  specimen"  of  this  Ibis.  This 
specimen  was  figured  by  Bonaparte,  and  was  possibly  the  type  of  his 
Ibis  Ordi. 

The  only  other  record  is  one  mentioned  by  Turnbull,  that  was  shot  in 
1866  by  Mr.  John  Krider,  below  Philadelphia.  Krider's  statement  that 
"the  bird  is  often  shot  in  September  on  the  marshes  of  the  Delaware 
River;  when  shooting  rail  I  have  seen  as  many  as  four  killed  in  a 
day,"  2  can  hardly  be  taken  seriously. 


Family   ARDEID-ffi. 

THE  HERONS  AND  BITTERNS. 

The  members  of  this  family  are  long-legged,  long-necked,  wading 
birds  with  a  powerful  bill  and  a  well-developed  hind  toe,  placed  on  a 
level  with  the  others,  so  that  the  foot  is  used  in  grasping.  The  Herons 
are  arboreal  in  their  nesting  habits,  usually  forming  large  communi- 
ties or  "rookeries,"  while  the  Bitterns  live  in  pairs  in  swamps  of  reeds 
and  cat-tails.  They  all  feed  upon  frogs,  small  reptiles  and  fish,  which 
they  spear  in  the  shallow  water.  When  flying,  their  long  legs  are 
stretched  out  behind,  while  the  head  is  drawn  back  on  the  shoulders. 
The  nests  and  eggs  of  all  our  Herons  are  of  the  same  character,  differ- 
ing only  in  size. 

a.  Plumage  of  upper  parts  slaty-blue,  gray  or  bronze  green. 

6.  Size,  large ;   wing,  18.50.  GREAT  BLUE  HERON,  p.  101 

&6.  Size,  medium ;    wing  under  13. 

c.  Crown  bluish-slate  or  purplish. 

d.  Neck  similar.  LITTLE  BLUE  HERON,  p.  105 

dd.  Neck  with  white  and  rufous  feathers. 

LOUISIANA  HERON,  p.  105 
cc.  Crown  streaked  with  buff. 

d.  Wings  plain  gray.       BLACK-CROWNED  NIGHT  HERON,  p.  107 

dd.  Wings  bronze-green.  GREEN  HERON,  p.  106 

ccc.  Crown  white.  YELLOW-CROWNED  NIGHT  HERON,  p.  108 


1  Jour.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila.,  I.,  p.  53. 

2  Field  Notes,  p.  60. 


THE  BIKDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  99 

aa.  Plumage  pure  white,  or  nearly  so. 

6.  Size,  large ;    wing,  14.25-16.75.  EGRET,  p.  103 

&&.  Size,  medium;    wing  under  11. 

c.  Tips  of  primaries  blue-gray.  LITTLE  BLUE  HERON,  p.  105 

cc.  Entire  plumage  white.  SNOWY  EGRET,  p.  104 

aaa.  Plumage  with  buff  and  chestnut  predominating,  crown  not  streaked. 

6.  Size,  very  small ;   wing,  4.30-5.25.  LEAST  BITTERN,  p.  100 

&&.  Size,  medium  ;    wing,  9.80-12.  BITTERN,  p.  99 

Plumage  gray-brown,  spotted  above  with  white  or  buff,  crown  streaked. 
6.  Primaries  rusty  on  the  outer  web. 

BLACK-CROWNED  NIGHT  HERON  (young),  p.  107 
&&.  Primaries  slate  color,  with  no  rufous  tint. 

YELLOW-CROWNED  NIGHT  HERON  (young),  p.  108 


190     Botaurus   lentiginosus    (Montague). 
Bittern,  Stake-driver,  Dunk-a-doo. 

Adults. — Length,  24-34.  Wing,  10-12.  Above,  brown,  edged  and  mottled 
with  buff ;  top  of  head,  bluish-slate ;  a  black  stripe  on  each  side  of  the  neck ; 
under  parts,  buff,  broadly  streaked  with  brown. 

l^oung  in  first  summer. — More  buff  than  adults. 

Nest  on  the  ground  in  marshes ;    eggs,  three  to  five,  pale  drab,  1.95  x  1.50. 

The  Bittern  seems  to  be  a  regular  but  not  abundant  migrant  along 
the  coast  and  on  the  streams  and  marshes  inland.  Mr.  Babson1  states 
that  it  occurs  near  Princeton  April  10th  to  May  5th  and  September 
20th  to  October  20th,  and  these  dates  coincide  closely  with  its  occur- 
rence near  Philadelphia,  though  it  has  been  seen  as  early  as  March 
30th.2  It  seems  to  be  especially  common  on  the  salt  meadows  in 
autumn.  Specimens  have  been  taken  as  late  as  November  2d,  1894, 
on  the  Delaware,  at  Holmesburg,2  and  November  19th,  1878,  in  Cape 
May  county.3 

It  nests  in  various  parts  of  the  State,  but  is  by  no  means  as  plenti- 
ful in  summer  as  during  the  migrations.  Thurber  calls  it  a  summer 
resident  in  Morris  county,  and  Messrs.  Haan  and  Callender  found 
nests  near  Summit  May  30th,  1894;  May  30th,  1899,  and  June  30th, 

1907,  while  Mr.  P.  B.  Philipp  states  that  at  least  one  pair  breed 
regularly  at  Newton,  Sussex  county,  where  he  found  young  June  15th, 

1908.  On  the  Newark  marshes  Mr.  C.  G.  Abbott  found  it  nesting 


1  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  38. 

2  Fowler,  Cassinia,  1903,  p.  50. 

3  Coll.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila. 


100   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

June  17th,  1906.1  Professor  A.  H.  Phillips  took  a  half-fledged  bird 
at  Princeton  June  24th,  1899,2  and  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  tells  me  it  breeds 
on  his  marshes  below  Trenton.  In  the  southern  part  of  the  State 
Mr.  H.  W.  Hand  reports  occasional  nests  near  Cape  May,  on  the  bay 
side  marshes,  and  Mr.  W.  B.  Crispin  found  a  nest  near  Salem,  May 
28th,  1904.  Only  about  five,  he  tells  me,  have  been  found  there  in 
the  last  fifteen  years. 

The  Bittern  is  a  somewhat  solitary  inhabitant  of  the  great  coast  and 
river  marshes,  where  heavy  growths  of  cat-tails,  reeds  and  coarse 
grasses  offer  concealment.  They  are  perhaps  more  frequently  seen 
and  shot  during  the  Railbird  season  in  the  autumn,  when  gunners 
often  flush  these  innocent,  ungainly  birds  and  then  wantonly  use 
them  for  targets.  Their  peculiar  vocal  performance  in  springtime, 
which  has  given  the  bird  the  names  of  "Thunder  Pumper/5  "Stake 
Driver,"  etc.,  can  be  heard  for  long  distances,  and  is  well  likened  to 
the  noise  of  an  old  pump  or  of  pounding  on  a  stake. 


191     Ixobrychus  exilis   (Gmelin). 
Least  Bittern. 

Adult  male. — Length,  12-14.  Wing,  4.30-5.25.  Above,  glossy  black;  back 
of  neck,  rufous ;  wings,  mainly  buff ;  under  parts,  buff,  with  a  black  spot  on 
each  side  of  the  breast. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  browner,  and  under  parts  somewhat  streaked. 

Young  in  first  winter. — Similar  to  adults,  but  with  chestnut  on  the  back,  and 
somewhat  streaked  below. 

Nest. — A  platform  of  leaves  and  stems  of  grass  and  rushes  supported  among 
cat-tails  and  other  coarse  vegetation  ;  eggs,  three  to  five,  pale  bluish,  1.20  x  .90. 

The  Least  Bittern  is  a  summer  resident  in  various  parts  of  the 
State,  and  is  doubtless  more  plentiful  than  generally  supposed,  fre- 
quently escaping  notice  on  account  of  its  secretive  habits.  It 
arrives  from  April  24th  to  27th,  and  the  latest  fall  date  that 
I  have  is  September  3d.  It  seems  to  be  mainly  a  fresh  or 
brackish-water  bird,  and  is  usually  rare  on  the  seacoast.  It 
nests  in  Morris  county  (Thurber),  at  Paterson  (J.  H.  Clark), 
on  the  Newark  marshes,  May  30th  to  June  17th  (Haan  and 


1  Auk,  1907,  pp.  1-11. 

2  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  38. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  101 

Callender).1  Mr.  Holmes  states  that  it  is  a  summer  resident  at  Sum- 
mit, but  he  has  found  no  nests.2  Alexander  Wilson  stated  that  it 
bred  sparingly  on  the  Delaware,  and  of  recent  years  its  nests  have 
been  found  rather  frequently  at  Camden  (Wilde),  Pensauken  (Miller3 
and  Hunt4),  and  at  Pt.  Richmond.3  Mr.  W.  B.  Crispin  tells  me  that 
it  is  a  regular  breeder  about  Salem,  and  I  have  found  it  breeding 
rather  commonly  along  the  bay  shore  at  Cape  May.  About  Princeton 
Mr.  Babson  says  it  breeds  commonly,  and  he  found  six  nests  during 
the  first  week  of  June,  1900. 

When  overtaken  in  the  marshes  the  Least  Bittern  frequently  re- 
mains perfectly  still,  grasping  the  stems  of  the  reeds,  and  with  neck 
extended  and  bill  pointed  skyward,  sways  back  and  forth  with  the 
reeds,  so  closely  resembling  them  that  he  is  easily  passed  by,  and  is 
not  forced  to  expose  himself  by  flight.  When  the  danger  is  past  he 
drops  to  the  muddy  ground  and  goes  skulking  away. 


194     Ardea  herodias  Linnaeus. 
Great  Blue  Heron. 

PLATE  12.     % 

Adults. — Length,  42-50.  Wing,  18-19.50.  Above,  blue-gray,  the  narrow 
scapulars  largely  white ;  primaries,  shoulders,  sides  of  crown  and  occipital 
feathers,  greenish-black ;  sides  of  neck,  rich  vinaceous,  white  in  front  streaked 
with  black ;  throat,  sides  of  face  and  middle  of  crown,  white ;  long  breast 
plumes,  gray  and  white ;  belly,  greenish-black ;  thighs  and  edge  of  wings,  light 
chestnut ;  crissum,  white. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar,  but  duller,  and  without  plumes  on  back  or 
breast ;  crown,  black  ;  under  parts  streaked  with  black,  white  and  buff. 

Nest. — A  large  bulky  affair  of  sticks,  usually  in  a  tall  tree  in  retired  wood- 
land ;  eggs,  four  or  five ;  pale  greenish-blue,  2.50  x  1.50. 

Rather  common  transient  throughout  the  State;  most  common 
during  April  and  from  August  1st  to  November.  Occasional  in 
winter,  according  to  Turnbull,  and  one  was  seen  December  9th  at 
Audubon,  N.  J.,  by  S.  N.  Rhoads. 

In  the  southwestern  counties  the  Great  Blue  Heron  nests  regularly. 
One  heronry  near  Pennsgrove,  Salem  county,  that  I  visited  some  years 

1  Also  Abbott,  Auk,  1907,  p.  1. 

2  Wilson,  Bulletin,  1905,  p.  9. 
"Fowler,  Cassinia,  1903,  p.  50. 
4  Cassinia,  1907,  p.  48. 


102   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

ago  was  in  an  oak  woods,  in  pin  oak  trees,  100  to  115  feet  high.1  Mr. 
Crispin  tells  me  that  other  nests  are  placed  in  white  oaks  and  tulip 
poplars,  and  he  knows  of  one  colony  which  breeds  in  pines.  Dr.  Wm. 
E.  Hughes2  also  describes  a  heronry  of  this  species  in  pines  near 
Pitman  Grove. 

In  Alexander  Wilson's  time  they  bred  in  cedar  swamps,  one  rookery 
which  he  mentions  especially  being  located  near  the  head  of  Tuckahoe 
River,  Cape  May  county.  I  have  not  heard  of  them  breeding  in  this 
section  of  late  years,  and  I  know  of  no  heronry  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  State,  although  Thurber  mentions  the  species  as  breeding  in 
Morris  county.  Krider  says  that  they  bred  on  the  beach  strip  of  Cape 
May  county,  and  Mr.  Harry  G.  Parker3  describes  a  small  heronry  on 
Seven  Mile  Beach  in  1885,  and  Mr.  Laurent4  says  a  few  bred  on  Five 
Mile  Beach.2  For  some  years  past,  however,  they  have  not  nested  on 
the  coast  islands. 

There  is  no  more  weird  spot  than  one  of  the  rookeries  of  the  Great 
Blue  Heron.  They  are  located  in  some  low,  dark  wood,  flooded  with 
water  in  the  early  spring  and  thick  with  a  tangle  of  low  shrubs  and 
twining  smilax,  where  tall  pin  oaks  rear  their  tops  above  the  other 
vegetation,  their  limbs  loaded  with  the  great,  bulky  nests,  whitened  by 
the  excrement  of  the  birds,  which  is  also  liberally  scattered  over  the 
ground  and  shrubbery.  Later  it  is  mingled  with  broken  egg  shells, 
feathers  and  decayed  fish,  as  the  activity  of  the  rookery  increases  with 
the  hatching  of  the  young. 

There  are  sometimes  a  dozen  nests  in  one  tree,  and  all  around  on 
the  branches  sit  the  grotesque  birds,  craning  their  long  necks  and 
flying  about  overhead  in  great  anxiety  over  the  intrusion  into  their 
privacy. 

It  is  a  pity  that  the  few  remaining  New  Jersey  rookeries  cannot  be 
left  unmolested,  but  wanton  gunners  and  collectors,  who  in  the  name 
of  "science"  gather  eggs  in  a  way  which  science  never  sanctioned 
and  always  condemned,  will  eventually  exterminate  them.  Of  what 
possible  good  to  science  is  the  gathering  of  dozens  of  egg  shells  of  a 
bird  whose  breeding  habits  have  been  known  and  described  for  a  hun- 
dred years,  and  whose  eggs  have  been  measured  over  and  over  again ! 


1  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  II.,  p.  20. 

2  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  III.,  pp.  5  and  11. 

3  O.  and  O.,  XI.,  1886,  p.  140. 

4  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  53. 

Cf.  also,  W.  B.  Crispin,  Oologist,  1905,  p.  101,  and  E.  J.  Darlington,  Oologist, 


THE  BIRDS  OP  NEW  JERSEY.  103 

196     Herodias  egretta    (Gmelin). 
Egret,  White  Heron. 

PLATE    13. 

Adults. — Length,  37-41.  Wing,  14.25-16.50.  Pure  white  throughout  with 
a  bunch  of  long,  straight  "aigrette"  plumes  on  the  back ;  bill,  yellow ;  legs  and 
feet,  black. 

Young  and  adults  after  the  nesting  season  lack  the  plumes. 

Nest. — A  platform  of  sticks  in  a  tree ;    eggs,  four,  bluish-green,  2.25  x  1.45. 

A  not  uncommon  but  irregular  migrant  from  the  south  along  the  sea- 
coast,,  and  less  frequently  up  the  Delaware  River,  usually  occurring 
from  August  1st  to  the  end  of  September. 

Formerly  this  species  bred  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State.  Wil- 
son says:  "Breeds  in  several  of  the  extensive  cedar  swamps  in  the 
lower  parts  of  New  Jersey.  *  *  *  In  the  months  of  July  and 
August  the  young  make  their  first  appearance  in  the  meadows  and 
marshes  in  parties  of  twenty  or  thirty  together."  He  also  adds  that 
they  come  up  the  Delaware  regularly  to  the  meadows  below  Phila- 
delphia. 

Turnbull  (1869)  still  includes  it  as  a  summer  resident,  but  states 
that  it  is  rather  rare. 

Scott1  says  it  was  common  during  the  summer  of  1879  at  Beach 
Haven,  and  adds:  "They  breed  in  large  numbers  about  forty  miles 
south,  near  Townsend's  Inlet."  This  remark,  however,  almost  cer- 
tainly refers  to  the  Snowy  Egret,  as  Mr.  Scott  was  obviously  not 
speaking  from  personal  experience. 

Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott2  describes  a  flock  of  these  birds  which  visited  the 
meadows  near  Trenton  August  17th,  1876,  in  company  with  the  Little 
Blue  Herons,  and  similar  occurrences,  both  here  and  on  the  coast, 
have  occurred  every  few  years. 

Farther  north  Mr.  Henry  Hales  writes  me  of  two  that  visited  Saddle 
River  Pond  five  miles  north  of  Ridgewood  in  July,  1902,  remaining 
several  weeks,  and  one  was  shot  on  Wading  River  August,  1905. 

1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879. 

2  Amer.  Nat.,  1876,  p.  473. 


104   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

197     Egretta  candidissima    (Gmelin). 
Snowy  Egret,  Snowy  Heron. 

Adults.— Length,  20-27.  Wing,  8.25-10.50.  White  throughout;  "aigrette" 
plumes  upturned  at  the  end ;  legs,  black ;  feet,  yellow ;  bill,  black,  yellowish 
at  the  base. 

Young  and  non-breeding  adults  lack  the  plumes. 

Nest  as  in  the  last ;   eggs,  1.80  x  1.25. 

Formerly  a  regular  summer  resident  along  the  southern  coast,,  at 
least.  For  many  years,  however,  it  has  not  been  seen  in  the  State, 
'even  as  a  straggler. 

Wilson  (1812)  says:  "On  the  19th  of  May  I  visited  an  extensive 
breeding  place  of  the  Snowy  Heron  among  the  red  cedars  of  Sommer's 
Beach,  on  the  coast  of  Cape  May,"  and  describes  the  heronry  in  some 
detail. 

Turnbull  (1869)  regards  it  as  not  uncommon  along  the  salt 
marshes  of  the  sea  coast  from  the  beginning  of  April  to  October.  In 
1872  Mr.  W.  H.  Werner  states  that  he  found  them  nesting  in  numbers 
where  Ocean  City  is  now  located,  eight  to  ten  nests  to  a  tree.1  This 
was  apparently  the  same  rookery  that  Wilson  referred  to. 

In  1886  Mr.  H.  G-.  Parker2  reports  that  the  colony  on  Seven  Mile 
Beach  still  existed,  the  birds  mingling  with  the  Night  Herons.  In 
18883  he  records  one  pair  nesting  at  this  spot,  saying:  "They 
have  been  almost  exterminated,  though  formerly  very  abundant,  one 
ornithologist  having  recently  shot  seventy-three  birds  in  one  day." 

This  ends  the  record  of  the  species,  except  for  one  mentioned  by 
Thurber  shot  at  New  Vernon,  Morris  county,  about  1881,  by  John 
Tunis.  Many  alleged  Snowy  Herons  prove  to  be  young  Little  Blue 
Herons  in  the  white  plumage.4 


1  Cassinia,  1902,  p.  21. 

2  O.  and  O.,  1886,  p.  140. 

3  O.  and  O.,  1889,  p.  2. 

4  C.  C.  Abbott,  Amer.  Nat.  1876,  pp.  473-476,  evidently  refers  to  A.  caerulea, 
although  he  records  the  species  as  A.  candidissima.     The  record  of  a  bird  seen 
by  R.  F.  Miller  in  July,  1904,  and  not  published  until  1907  (Auk,  p.  436),  is  by 
no  means  conclusive. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  105 

199     Hydranassa  tricolor  ruficollis  (Gosse). 
Louisiana  Heron. 

Adults.— Length,  23-28.  Wing,  8.35-10.80.  Above,  bluish-slate;  back  of 
neck,  maroon,  with  some  white  feathers,  especially  on  the  occiput ;  long  plumes 
at  base  of  neck,  maroon  and  slate ;  throat  and  under  parts,  white ;  "train"  of 
hair-like  feathers  from  the  back,  light  drab. 

Young  in  first  autumn  slate-colored  above,  white  below,  more  or  less  rusty 
on  throat  and  head ;  upper  tail-coverts,  white. 

Very  rare  straggler  from  the  south  in  former  years.  Turnbull  says 
(1869)  :  "This  species  has  occasionally  been  obtained  on  the  New 
Jersey  coast."  There  is  no  more  definite  record. 

200     Florida  caerulea   (Linnaeus). 
Little  Blue  Heron. 

Adults.— Length,  20-29.  Wing,  9-10.50.  General  color,  uniform  bluish- 
slate  ;  head  and  neck,  purplish-chestnut ;  legs  and  feet,  black ;  bill,  black ; 
lores,  blue. 

Young  in  first  summer  and  autumn,  white,  except  the  tips  of  the  primaries, 
which  are  slate  color;  legs,  feet  and  lores,  greenish-yellow. 

Nest  like  that  of  the  Egret ;    eggs,  1.75  x  1.25. 

A  not  uncommon  but  rather  irregular  migrant  from  the  south  in  late 
July,  August  and  early  September.  Most  of  these  migrants  are  young 
birds  in  the  white  plumage,  and  as  most  persons  are  not  aware  that 
the  Little  Blue  Heron  is  white  during  the  first  year  of  its  life,  they 
are  constantly  confused  with  the  Snowy  Heron  and  the  Egret.  I  am 
inclined  to  think  that  most  of  the  "White  Herons"  reported  belong 
to  this  species.  Most  of  the  recent  records  given  under  the  Egret 
refer  also  to  this  species,  especially  in  the  account  by  W.  B.  Evans. 

I  find  no  definite  record  of  the  nesting  of  this  species  in  the  State, 
except  that  of  Wilson,  who  found  them  with  the  Snowy  Herons,  but 
only  in  small  numbers,  and  Turnbull,  who  may  be  merely  quoting 
from  Wilson,  his  statement  being  "rare,  but  has  been  found  breeding 
at  Cape  May."  A.  G.  Van  Aken  refers  casually  to  this  species  nesting 
with  the  Night  Herons  at  New  Brunswick  April,  1882,  but  I  think  the 
Green  Heron  was  the  species  intended.1  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  assures 
me  that  one  pair  once  nested  near  Trenton. 

1  O.  and  Q.,  1883,  p.  46. 


106    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Adult  birds  in  the  blue  plumage  are  very  rare  in  New  Jersey. 
There  is  one  specimen  in  the  Philadelphia  Academy  collection  without 
detailed  data,  and  several  mentioned  by  Evans.  In  1902  a  remarkable 
flight  of  these  two  species  occurred,  which  has  been  described  by  Wm. 
B.  Evans,1  and  Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads  saw  a  similar  assemblage  below 
Camden.2 

Along  the  coast  of  Cape  May  Mr.  Hand  tells  me  that  White  Herons 
occur  regularly  in  late  summer,  and  at  Tuckerton  at  least  a  few  are 
reported  nearly  every  year.  Farther  north  in  the  State  Mr.  C.  C. 
Owen8  records  two  shot  at  Maplewood  July  27th,  1897,  and  there  have 
been  a  number  of  records  in  the  vicinity  of  Point  Pleasant.4 


201     Butorides  virescens  (Linnaeus). 
Green  Heron,  Fly-up-the-creek,  Poke. 

Adults. — Length,  15.50-22.50.  Wing,  6.50-8.  Above,  glossy  green;  back, 
more  or  less  bluish-gray ;  wing-coverts  edged  with  whitish ;  head  and  neck,  for 
the  most  part,  chestnut;  top  of  head,  glossy  black,  tinged  with  green;  throat, 
pale  buff,  and  a  narrow  stripe  of  the  same  down  the  fore  neck ;  abdomen,  gray, 
tinged  with  buff. 

Young  in  first  summer  and  autumn. — Similar,  but  no  gray  above,  the  neck 
and  under  parts  streaked  with  black. 

Nest  a  loose  structure  of  sticks  in  a  low  tree ;  eggs,  four  to  five,  pale  greenish- 
blue,  1.45  x  1.10. 

Common  summer  resident  throughout  the  State,  nesting  both  singly 
and  in  colonies.  Formerly  nested  along  the  coast  islands,  but  now 
nearly  exterminated  there.  Occurs  April  to  October  5th. 

Mr.  W.  W.  Justice,  Jr.,  saw  one  at  Salem  November  23d,  1898, 
which  is  our  latest  record. 

This  is  the  best-known  and  most  universally  distributed  of  our 
Herons,  and  no  doubt  its  abundance  is  due  to  the  fact  that  it  has  to  a 
great  extent  abandoned  the  habit  of  nesting  in  communities.  Had  it 


1  Cassinia,  1902,  p.  15. 

2  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  III.,  p.  12. 

3  Auk,  1898,  p.  51. 

*  T.  B.  A.,  Forest  and  Stream,  1884,  February  14th,  p.  44 ;    Stone,  Birds  of 
E.  Pa.  and  N.  J. ;    Evans,  Cassinia,  1902,  p.  15. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JEESEY.  107 

been  unfortunate  enough  to  possess  desirable  plumes  or  "aigrettes"  it 
would  have  been  exterminated  long  ago  for  millinery  purposes  like 
most  of  the  foregoing  species.  Every  secluded  stream  has  its  pair  or 
two  of  "Pokes"  or  "Fly-Up-the-Creeks,"  and  they  nest  contentedly  in 
some  small  tree  in  the  low,  thick  woodland,  where  they  easily  escape 
observation. 

202     Nycticorax  nycticorax  naevius  (Boddaert). 
Black-crowned  Night  Heron. 

PLATE  14. 

Adults. — Length,  23-26.  Wing,  11-12.50.  Top  of  head,  back  and  scapulars, 
glossy  greenish-black;  rest  of  upper  parts,  gray;  forehead,  neck  and  under 
parts,  grayish-white ;  several  slender  white  plumes  from  the  back  of  the  head, 
six  to  eight  inches  long. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Light  brown,  streaked  with  white ;  below,  streaked 
with  grayish-brown  and  white ;  wings  tinged  with  cinnamon. 

Nest  of  coarse  sticks ;    eggs,  four  to  five,  pale  bluish-green,  2  x  1.40. 

A  rather  common  bird  throughout  the  State,  nesting  usually  in 
colonies  in  woodland,  especially  along  the  lower  Delaware  Valley, 
west  of  the  Pine  Barrens,  and  formerly  on  the  coast  islands,  particu- 
larly Seven  Mile  Beach.  They  usually  arrive  during  April,  and  are 
most  common  in  August  and  September.  Mr.  C.  J.  Hunt 
finds  them  occasionally  in  midwinter  at  Pensauken,1  and  Mr.  L.  I. 
Smith  took  one  on  February  15th,  1902,  on  the  Delaware,  below 
Philadelphia,  which  was  still  in  the  brown  plumage.  They  formerly 
associated  with  several  other  species  in  the  heronries  on  the  coast 
islands,  and  I  have  found  them  near  Salem  nesting  with  the  Great 
Blue  Herons.2 

Mr.  Thurber  states  that  there  were  formerly  several  large  heronries 
of  this  species  near  Morristown,  and  Mr.  Hann  says  a  few  still  nest 
near  Summit,  the  remnant  of  a  former  large  heronry. 

Night  Heron  rookeries  differ  from  those  of  the  Great  Blue  Herons 
only  in  size  and  in  the  fact  that  they  are  usually  in  lower  trees.  The 
birds  are  nocturnal  feeders,  and  roost  during  the  daytime.  In  the 
evening,  after  dusk,  and  in  the  early  hours  of  the  morning,  we  can 
often  hear  them  going  overhead  through  the  darkness,  uttering  now 
and  then  their  hoarse  "quak,  quak." 


1  Cassinia,  1907,  p.  51. 

2  Gf.  also,  Shick  Auk,  1890,  p.  327 ;    Coggins,  Cassinia,  1902,  p.  54. 


108   REPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

203     Nycticorax  violaceus  (Linnaeus). 
Yellow-crowned  Night  Heron. 

Adults.— Length,  22-28.  Wing,  10.50-12.50.  Above,  bluish-gray,  streaked 
with  black  on  the  scapulars ;  crown  and  ear-coverts,  white,  the  former  tinged 
with  buff ;  sides  of  head  and  throat,  black ;  under  parts,  bluish-gray ;  several 
slender  white  plumes  from  the  back  of  the  head ;  legs  and  feet,  greenish ;  bill, 
black. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar  to  the  young  Black-crowned  Night  Heron, 
but  wings  bluish-gray,  without  rufous  edgings. 

A  very  rare  straggler.  I  know  of  but  one  record — a  full-plumaged 
bird  obtained  by  Mr.  Ware,  at  Woodbine,  N.  J.,  May  23d,  1892,  which 
was  mounted  by  Mr.  C.  A.  Voelker  and  exhibited  before  the  Delaware 
Valley  Ornithological  Club.1  While  he  gives  no  definite  record,  Au- 
dubon  says :  "I  am  not  aware  of  any  having  been  seen  farther  [north] 
than  New  Jersey." 

Order  PALUDICOKSJ. 

Rails  and  Cranes. 
Family  GRUID-ffi. 

THE  CRANES. 

Large  Heron-like  birds,  but  strictly  terrestrial,  with  the  hind  toe 
reduced  and  elevated  above  the  plane  of  the  others.  Birds  of  open 
marshy  districts.  Nest  on  the  ground. 

204     Grus  americana   (Linnaeus). 
Whooping  Crane. 

Adults. — Length,  50-54.  Wing,  22-25.  Plumage,  white;  primaries,  black; 
top  of  head  lores  and  sides  of  throat  nearly  naked,  dark  red  with  a  few  black 
hair-like  feathers. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Plumage,  dull  buff ;    head  entirely  feathered. 


Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  65. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  109 

Formerly  a  very  rare  straggler. 

Wilson  says  (1812)  :  UA  few  sometimes  make  their  appearance  in 
the  marshes  of  Cape  May  in  December,  particularly  on  and  near  Egg 
Island  [in  Delaware  Bay],  where  they  are  known  by  the  name  of 
'Storks/  Some  linger  in  these  marshes  all  winter,  setting  out  north 
about  the  time  the  ice  breaks  up."  Turnbull  (1869)  writes:  "Now 
very  rare;  while  at  Beesley's  Point  in  1857  I  saw  three  off  the  inlet; 
they  were  very  wary,  and  could  not  be  approached;  in  Wilson's  time 
it  bred  at  Cape  May."  Peter  Kalm  saw  Cranes  migrating  north  in 
the  spring  while  at  Swedesboro  in  1748-9,  but  whether  Sand  Hill 
Cranes,  as  stated  by  Turnbull  (p.  49),  or  this  species,  I  cannot  say. 


Family   RALLID.IE. 

THE  RAILS  AND  COOTS. 

The  Rails  are  birds  of  the  more  open  marshes,  where  they  run 
about  rapidly,  easily  keeping  concealed  in  the  grass  and  seldom  taking 
wing.  They  can  swim  if  forced  to  do  so,  and  fly  in  a  rather  labored 
fashion.  The  Coots  are  much  more  aquatic,  and  the  Gallinules  inter- 
mediate between  the  two.  The  downy  young  are  black  or  dark  slaty 
gray. 

a.  Bill,  2.40-2.50. 

6.  Under  parts  cinnamon  rufous,  flanks  barred  black  and  white. 

KING  RAIL,  p.  110 
66.  Under  parts  grayish-buff,  flanks  barred  gray  and  white. 

CLAPPER  RAIL,  p.  110 
aa.  Bill,  1.50  or  less. 

6.  Plumage  mainly  bright  blue ;   wing,  7.          PURPLE  GALLINULE,  p.  115 
66.  Plumage  dark  slaty-gray ;    wing,  6.50-8.50. 

c.  Toes  broadly  lobed.  COOT,  p.  116 

cc.  Toes  not  broadly  lobed.  FLORIDA  GALLINULE,  p.  115 

666.  Plumage  streaked  or  mottled,  different  above  and  below. 
c.  No  narrow  silvery-white  lines  or  spots  above. 

d.  Bill,  1.50.  VIRGINIA  RAIL,  p.  Ill 

dd.  Bill,  .90.  CORN  CRAKE,  p.  114 

cc.  Fine,  narrow  silvery-white  lines  or  spots  above. 

d.  White  lines  longitudinal ;    wing,  4.25.  SORA,  p.  112 

dd.  White  lines  transverse,  general  color  buff;    wing,  3.25. 

YELLOW  RAIL,  p.  113 

ddd.  White  dots  on  back,  general  color  black  and  slate ;   wing,  2.75. 

BLACK  RAIL,  p.  113 


110        REPORT  OF  NEAY  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

208     Rallus  elegans  Audubon. 
King  Rail. 

PLATE    15. 

Adults. — Length,  17-19.  Wing,  6-6.75.  Above,  dark  olive,  or  nearly  black 
with  grayish  edgings;  wing-coverts,  rufous  chestnut;  under  parts,  cinnamon 
rufous ;  throat,  white ;  sides  of  body  and  abdomen,  blackish,  barred  with  white. 

Nest  of  grass  in  fresh-water  marshes ;  eggs,  seven  to  twelve,  buff,  speckled 
with  rusty  brown  and  lilac,  1.60  x  1.20. 

Not  uncommon  summer  resident  along  the  Delaware  meadows, 
where  it  breeds.  Dr.  J.  B.  Brinton  found  a  nest  at  Repaupo  July 
15th,  1892/  and  Prof.  A.  H.  Phillips2  found  an  old  bird  with  a  brood 
near  Princeton  July  2d,  1899.  Mr.  H.  H.  Hann  records  a  nest  found 
in  1895  on  the  Passaic  River,  below  Summit.3  Occurs  from  April  to 
the  end  of  September.  Apparently  almost  exclusively  a  fresh- water 
bird.  The  only  coast  record  with  which  I  am  acquainted  is  one  given 
by  Mr.  P.  Laurent  for  Five  Mile  Beach.4 

Wilson  figured  this  bird  for  the  Clapper  Rail,  following  the  current 
opinion  of  gunners  that  it  was  a  very  old  example  of  that  species. 

Audubon  subsequently  described  it  as  distinct,  his  type  specimen 
being  shot  near  Camden  in  July,  1832. 

This  bird  is  the  fresh-water  representative  of  the  Clapper  Rail,  dif- 
fering from  it  in  its  deeper,  richer  coloration. 

211     Rallus  crepitans  Gmelin. 
Clapper  Rail,  Mud-hen. 

Adults. — Length,  13.50-15.50.  Wing,  5.40-6.30.  Upper  parts,  dull  olive, 
margined  with  gray  ;  wing-coverts,  grayish-cinnamon  ;  under  parts,  pale  grayish- 
buff  ;  throat,  whitish ;  sides  and  abdomen,  gray,  barred  with  white. 

Nest  in  salt  marshes,  made  of  grass;  eggs,  eight  to  twelve,  buffy-white, 
spotted  with  rusty  brown  and  gray,  1.70  x  1.20. 

Abundant  summer  resident  on  the  salt  marshes  of  the  coast  and  up 
Delaware  Bay  as  far  as  Greenwich,  which,  according  to  Mr.  S.  N. 

1  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  II.,  p.  5. 

2  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  40. 

3  Wilson  Bulletin,  1905,  p.  120. 

4  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  53. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  Ill 

Rhoads,  is  the  northern  limit,1  while  Mr.  Crispin  tells  me  they  do  not 
reach  Salem. 

They  occur  from  the  middle  of  March  to  the  middle  of  November, 
and  are  occasionally  found  in  midwinter  at  Atlantic  City  (DeHaven) 
and  at  Five  Mile  Beach  (Laurent).2  Full  sets  of  eggs  may  be  found 
from  May  25th  to  June  10th  and  later,  when  the  first  nest  has  been 
destroyed. 

Wilson,  writing  in  1812,  states  that  "about  June  1st  the  people  of 
the  neighborhood  go  off  on  the  marshes  an  egging,  as  it  is  called.  So 
abundant  are  the  nests  of  this  species,  and  so  dextrous  some  persons 
at  finding  them,  that  100  dozen  of  eggs  have  been  collected  by  one 
man  in  a  day/''  and  "B.  B."  records  purchasing  over  seven  hundred 
in  market  for  exchange  specimens.3  Fortunately  this  practice,  which 
threatened  the  extinction  of  the  bird,  is  now  unlawful. 

Through  the  summer  they  are  inconspicuous,  searching  for  food 
along  the  bottoms  of  the  little  sloughs  and  thoroughfares,  and  build- 
ing their  nests  on  the  higher  parts  of  the  marshes  among  the  taller 
grass.  At  sunset  they  may  be -heard  uttering  their  peculiar  cackle, 
and  can  often  be  induced  to  show  themselves  by  imitating  the  call. 
They  run  rat-like  through  the  grass,  dodging  this  way  and  that 
with  great  agility  when  pursued. 

In  the  autumn  they  are  shot  in  large  numbers,  and  when  the  high 
autumnal  tides  flood  the  meadows,  as  they  sometimes  do,  and  the 
Mudhens  are  forced  to  swim  or  to  gather  on  the  islands  that  here  and 
there  stand  above  the  water,  the  slaughter  is  a  disgrace  to  those  who 
call  themselves  sportsmen. 


212     Rallus  virginianus  Linnaeus. 
Virginia  Rail. 

Adults. — Length,  8.25-10.50.  Wing,  4^.25.  Colors  almost  exactly  like  the 
King  Rail.  Differs  in  its  smaller  size. 

young  in  first  autumn. — Middle  of  abdomen,  white,  with  scattered  black 
feathers  all  over  the  under  surface. 

Nest  and  eggs. — Similar  to  those  of  the  King  Rail,  except  in  size,  1.25  x  .90. 

Rather  common  summer  resident,  occurring  April  15th  to  October 
1st.  Breeds  all  along  the  Delaware  meadows  from  the  fresh  or 


1  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  51. 

-  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  53. 

3  O.  and  O.,  1883,  pp.  39-40. 


112        REPORT  OF  ISTEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

semi-brackish  marshes  of  Cape  May  to  Trenton ;  also  at  Elizabeth,1  the 
Newark  marshes,2  near  Summit,3  and  at  Princeton.4  Mr.  S.  N". 
Rhoads  also  found  it  breeding  in  the  Wallkill  valley,  Sussex  county, 
June  llth,  1909. 

Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott5  records  two  birds  killed  at  Trenton  in  January, 
1869,  and  several  were  seen  and  shot  by  Dr.  Huey  on  Dennis  Creek, 
Cape  May  county,  December  30th,  1895.  Along  the  coast  it  occurs  in 
migrations,  and  has  been  shot  at  Atlantic  City  as  late  as  November 
6th,  1891  (I.  K  DeHaven).  In  all  respects  a  miniature  of  the  King 
Rail. 

214     Porzana  Carolina   (Linnaeus). 
Sora,  Carolina  Rail. 

PLATE  16. 

Adults. — Length,  7.85-9.75.  Wing,  4.25-4.30.  Forehead,  fore  part  of  face, 
center  of  crown,  chin  and  throat,  black ;  'upper  parts,  brownish-olive,  streaked 
with  black,  and  with  narrow  white  tips  and  edgings ;  sides  of  head  and  neck 
and  entire  breast,  plumbeous ;  sides  of  body  and  flanks,  broadly  barred  black 
and  white ;  middle  of  abdomen,  white ;  crissum,  buff. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  above,  but  sides  of  face  and  the  breast 
brownish ;  throat  and  abdomen,  white ;  sides,  duller. 

Nest  of  grass  in  fresh-water  marshes ;  eggs,  eight  to  fifteen,  buff,  spotted  with 
rusty  brown  and  lavender,  1.25  x  .90. 

A  common  migrant  along  the  Delaware  meadows  and  in  marshes  in 
the  northeastern  portion  of  the  State.  April  1st  to  May  10th  and 
August  20th  to  October  25th.  At  Greenwich,  Salem  county,  it  occa- 
sionally winters,  according  to  Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads.0  Mr.  Chapman  says 
it  is  a  rare  summer  resident  near  New  York  City,7  and  Mr.  Scott  took 
a  half-fledged  young  in  July,  1880,  near  Princeton.8  Dr.  W.  E. 
Hughes  has  found  nests  on  the  Delaware  marshes  below  Philadelphia, 
and  both  Wilson  and  Audubon  mention  young  birds  taken  in  the  same 
vicinity. 


1  H.  T.  Haines,  O.  and  O.,  1883,  p.  7. 
2J.  P.  Callender. 

3  H.  H.  Hann,  Wilson  Bulletin,  1905,  p.  120. 

4  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  40. 

5  Amer.  Nat,  IV.,  p.  549. 

6  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  51. 

7  Birds  Vicinity  N.  Y.  City,  p.  144. 

8  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  40. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  113 

The  Sora  is  best  known  in  New  Jersey  as  a  transient  game  bird, 
and  in  the  autumn  both  it  and  the  Reedbird  are  killed  in  large  num- 
bers on  the  marshes  bordering  the  Delaware  and  other  large  rivers, 
which  are  then  covered  with  the  tall  stalks  of  the  wild  rice.  The 
gunners  are  poled  about  in  old  flatboats,  and  the  feeble-winged  Rail- 
birds  fall  an  easy  prey  to  their  guns. 


215     Coturnicops  noveboracensis  (Gmelin). 
Yellow  Rail. 

Adults.— Length,  6-7.50.  Wing,  3-3.50.  Head,  neck  and  breast,  bright 
ochraceous,  slightly  edged  with  darker ;  top  of  head,  lores  and  entire  back, 
blackish  ;  head  narrowly,  back  and  wings  broadly  streaked  with  ochraceous ; 
neck,  back  and  wings  narrowly  barred  with  white;  secondaries,  white;  middle 
of  abdomen,  white ;  sides  barred  with  black  and  white ;  crissum,  brown. 

Rather  rare  transient,  most  frequently  seen  in  fall,  when  quite  a 
number  are  doubtless  shot  by  gunners  and  not  recorded. 

I  have  the  following  records : 

Palmyra;  W.  L.  Baily;   October  13th,  1886.1 

Princeton;  A.  H.  Phillips;  April  10th,  1895.2 

Hackensack;   George  Richards;   September  30th,  1893.3 

Salem;    Mr.  McKee;    October  24th,  1908.4 

Dr.  Trudeau  told  Audubon  that  they  reached  Salem  by  the  end  of 
April,  and  that  a  few  remained  there  for  the  summer.  The  latter 
statement  has  never  been  confirmed. 


216     Creciscus  jamaicensis    (Gmelin). 
Black  Rail. 

Adult*. — Length,  5-6.  Wing,  2.50-3.20.  Above,  brown,  darker  and  blacker 
on  the  head  and  lower  parts ;  lower  back  and  wings  spotted  with  white ;  sides 
of  head  and  under  parts,  deep  plumbeous ;  lower  abdomen  and  crissum  spotted 
and  barred  with  white. 

Nest  on  the  ground  in  marshy  places,  made  of  grass  and  rushes ;  eggs, 
creamy-white,  speckled  with  reddish-brown,  1.03  x  .75. 


1  Stone,  Birds  of  1$.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  67. 

2  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  41. 

3  Forest  and  Stream,  September  20th,  1893,  p.  33G. 

4  Harlow,  Auk,  1909,  p.  190. 

8 


114   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Rare  transient,  but  formerly,  and  possibly  still,  a  summer  resident 
at  several  localities  in  the  State.  The  elusive  habits  of  the  smaller 
Rails  render  it  difficult  to  judge  of  their  abundance. 

The  first  specimen  from  this  neighborhood  was  probably  one  in 
Peale's  museum,  taken  about  1806  in  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia.1 
Dr.  Trudeau  told  Audubon  that  they  nested  in  great  numbers  at 
Salem,  but  so  far  as  I  know,  no  one  has  verified  this  statement. 

In  1844  and  1845  three  nests  of  this  species  were  found  near  Bees- 
ley's  Point,  Cape  May  county,2  and  there  is  no  reason  why  the  bird 
should  not  be  found  breeding  in  the  same  vicinity  to-day. 

In  May,  1872,  Mr.  C.  L.  Mather  found  a  nest  with  eight  eggs  on 
the  marshes  along  Rancocas  Creek,  about  five  miles  from  Mt.  Holly, 
and  shot  the  bird,3  and  in  1885  a  set  of  eggs  now  in  Mrs.  Brown's 
collection  was  collected  near  Tuckerton.  t 

The  only  records  of  the  capture  of  specimens  beside  one  taken  with 
the  Beesley's  Point  nests  are  as  follows : 

Salem:   Wm.  Patterson.4 

Mouth  of  Big  Timber  Creek,  near  Camden;  September  22d,  1887; 
"W.  J.  Sherratt"  [=W.  J.  Rogers].5 

Also  one  flushed  by  Prof.  A.  H.  Phillips  at  Princeton.6 


217     Crex  crex   (Linnaeus). 
Corn  Crake. 

Adults. — Length,  10-10.50.  Wing,  5.70-6.  Above,  light  grayish-brown, 
striped  with  black ;  wings,  mainly  light  rufous ;  breast  and  sides,  pale  grayish- 
brown,  the  latter  barred  with  white;  throat  and  abdomen,  white. 

Accidental  straggler  from  Europe,  probably  by  way  of  Greenland. 
Only  two  instances  of  its  occurrence  in  the  State  are  known.  One 
shot  by  Mr.  Wm.  Patterson  at  Salem  in  the  fall  of  1854,7  and  another 
shot  by  Mr.  H.  Walker  Hand  at  Dennisville,  Cape  May  county,  No- 
vember llth,  1905.8  Both  specimens  are  preserved  in  the  Philadel- 
phia Academy. 

1  Audubon's  Orn.  Biog. 

2  Stone,  Auk,  1900,  p.  172. 

8  A.  R.  Justice,  Atlantic  Slope  Nat.,  I.,  No.  2,  p.  11,  1903. 

4  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  67. 

5  O.  and  O.,  1887,  p.  206. 

6  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  41. 

7  Cassin,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila.,  VII.,  January,  1855,  p.  265. 

8  Cassinia,  1905,  p.  75. 


THE*  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  115 

218     lonornis    martinica    (Linnaeus). 
Purple  Gallinule. 

Adults. — Length,  13-14.  Wing,  7-7.50.  Head,  neck  and  under  parts,  bluish- 
purple  ;  back  and  wings,  bright  green,  shading  into  verditer  blue  on  the  neck 
and  coverts ;  crissum,  white ;  bill,  red,  with  a  yellow  tip. 

Very  rare  straggler  from  the  south. 

Cassin  states1  that  the  Purple  Gallinule  occurs  occasionally  north 
to  New  Jersey,  and  Turn  bull  records  one  shot  by  John  Krider  at 
League  Island,  in  the  Delaware.  Dr.  Abbott  (1868)  also  states  that 
one  was  taken  at  Trenton  November  2d,  1864.  More  recent  records 
are  as  follows: 

Cape  May;  May,  1892.    C.  F.  Gardner  (C.  A.  Voelker).2 

Tuckerton;  prior  to  1894.    Jillson  Brothers  (several).2 

Longport;  May  23d,  1898.    W.  H.  Werner. 

Ventnor;  May,  1902.    W.  H.  Werner. 

Cape  May;  May  10th,  1907.    H.  W.  Hand. 

Beach  Haven;  May  10th,  1907.    C.  W.  Beck.3 

219     Gallinula  galeata   (Liechtenstein) . 
Florida  Gallinule. 

PLATE  17. 

Adults. — Length,  12-14.50.  Wing,  6.85-7.25.  Similar  in  coloration  to  the 
Coot,  but  the  gray-tint  is  bluer ;  the  back  is  browner,  and  there  are  a  few  white 
stripes  on  the  flanks ;  bill,  red,  tipped  with  yellow ;  shield,  red. 

Nest  in  wet  swamps,  supported  among  cat-tails  and  rushes ;  eggs,  eight  to 
twelve,  1.75x1.20. 

Regular  summer  resident  in  the  Newark  marshes  and  the  marshes 
of  the  Delaware. 

This  bird  is  an  excellent  example  of  the  secretiveness  of  birds  of 
this  family.  It  was  unknown  as  a  New  Jersey  bird  to  the  older  orni- 
thologists, and  while  Turnbull  calls  it  a  summer  visitant,  he  calls  it 

1  Birds  of  N.  A.,  p.  753. 

2  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J. 
8  Coll.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila. 


116        KEPOKT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATiE  MUSEUM. 

very  rare,  and  makes  no  suggestion  of  its  breeding.  Dr.  Abbott  says 
it  is  only  occasionally  met  with,  though,  he  records  a  specimen  shot  at 
Trenton  in  July,  1862.  Other  specimens  have  been  taken,  especially 
by  gunners  in  the  autumn,  but  not  until  1904  had  anyone  found  a 
nest  in  this  vicinity.  It  was  discovered  nesting  commonly  in  deep 
cat-tail  swamps  on  the  Delaware,  at  Philadelphia,  in  that  year  by  Mr. 
Richard  F.  Miller,1  and  in  1906  on  the  Newark  marshes  by  Messrs. 
C.  G.  Abbott,  Hann  and  Callender.2  Eggs  were  found  May  28th  to 
July  1st. 

Thurber  mentions  the  species  as  a  rare  summer  visitor  to  Morris 
county,  and  Babson3  says  it  was  once  seen  in  April  at  Princeton. 


221     Fulica  americana  Gmelin. 
Coot,  Crow  Duck. 

PLATE    17. 

Adults. — Length,  16.  Wing,  7.75-8.75.  Head  and  neck,  dark  sooty  gray; 
rest  of  plumage,  lighter  plumbeous;  a  tinge  of  brown  on  the  back;  tips  of 
secondaries  and  outer  edge  of  wing,  white ;  middle  of  abdomen,  tipped  with 
white,  and  under  tail-coverts,  mainly  white;  bill,  white;  shield,  brown. 

Young  in  first  winter. — Head,  lighter  gray ;  plumage  of  under  surface  more  or 
less  tipped  with  white. 

Nest  in  swamps  on  floating  piles  of  vegetation  or  among  rushes;  eggs,  six 
to  sixteen,  gray,  speckled  with  black,  1.80  x  1.30. 

Common  migrant  along  the  coast  and  on  the  bay;  occasionally 
inland.  March  30th  to  May  3d,  September  1st  to  October  29th. 

Thurber4  records  it  as  breeding  near  Morristown,  and  Mr.  C.  G. 
Abbott5  records  a  nest  on  the  Newark  marshes,  found  May  30th,  1907. 

1  Cassinia,  1905,  p.  24. 

2  Auk,  1907,  p.  1. 

8  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  41. 

4  True  Democratic  Banner,  November  10th,  1887. 

5  Auk,  1907,  p.  436. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  117 

Order  LIMICOKffi. 

Shore  Birds. 
Family  PHALAROPID^I. 

THE  PHALAROPES. 

These  birds  are  essentially  "swimming  Sandpipers"  with  curiously 
lobed  feet,  somewhat  like  those  of  the  Coot. 

They  are  peculiar  also  in  the  fact  that  the  female  is  more  brightly 
plumaged  than  the  male,  while  the  latter  attends  for  the  most  part  to 
the  incubation  of  the  eggs.  Wilson's  Phalarope  nests  in  interior 
North  America,  the  others  in  the  far  north. 

a.  Wing,  5.25-5.50.  RED  PHALAROPE,  p.  117 
ao.  Wing  less  than  5.25. 

6.  Bui,  .85.  NORTHERN  PHALAROPE,  p.  118 

&&.  Bill,  1.25  or  over.  WILSON'S  PHALAROPE,  p.  119 

222     Phalaropus  fulicarius   (Linnaeus). 
Red  Phalarope. 

Adult  in  spring.— 'Length,  7.50-8.50.  Wing,  5.25-5.50.  Above,  streaked 
broadly  with  black  and  buff;  top  of  head,  dull  black  (streaked  with  buff  in  the 
male)  ;  wing,  grayish,  with  a  white  wing  band;  sides  of  head,  white;  entire 
under  parts,  cinnamon,  with  a  purplish  cast. 

Adult  in  autumn. — Above,  pearl-gray ;  wings  and  tail,  gray  or  dusky ;  ear- 
coverts,  dusky  ;  rest  of  plumage,  white. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Dusky  above,  edged  with  buff;  white  below,  suf- 
fused with  brown  on  breast  and  throat. 

Pelagic,  occurring  well  off  shore  during  migrations,  but  rarely  com- 
ing in  to  the  coast  or  up  the  rivers. 

Ord  states  that  the  specimen  figured  by  Wilson  was  taken  near 
Philadelphia  in  the  latter  part  of  May,  1812.  There  were  three  in 
the  flock.  Doubtless  they  were  driven  into  the  Delaware  River  by  a 
storm.  Audubon  (1835)  says  that  stragglers  at  times  reach  New 
Jersey.  Dr.  Abbott  (1868)  records  one  shot  on  the  Hackensack  June 
27th.  1863,  and  Turnbull  (1869)  says  a  few  are  obtained  every  season, 


118   EEPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

and  that  one  was  shot  September,  1868,  at  the  mouth  of  Big  Timber 
Creek,  by  Mr.  B.  A.  Hoopes.  Mr.  F.  M.  Chapman  saw  a  number  of 
specimens  of  this  and  the  following  species  from  a  vessel  well  off  the 
Delaware  coast  on  May  9th,  1897,1  and  Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott  saw  five 
Phalaropes,  species  not  determined,  five  miles  off  Long  Beach  May 
20th,  1877.2  The  only  recent  records  that  I  have  from  New  Jersey  are 
one  killed  at  Ocean  City  May  6th,  1907  (W.  H.  Werner),  and  another 
obtained  by  Mr.  H.  W.  Hand  at  Cape  May,  May  3d,  1909. 

Dr.  B.  H.  Warren  mentions  two  in  the  possession  of  C.  D.  Wood, 
shot  in  New  Jersey.3 


223     Lobipes   lobatus    (Linnaeus). 
Northern  Phalarope. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  7-8.  Wing,  4-4.40.  Above,  dusky,  streaked  on 
the  back  with  buff,  a  narrow  white  wing  bar ;  lower  parts,  white ;  breast,  more 
or  less  dusky  (chestnut  in  female)  ;  a  patch  of  rusty  chestnut  on  the  side  of 
the  neck. 

Adults  in  autumn. — Gray  above,  white  beneath ;  forehead  and  line  over  the 
eye,  white. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Dusky  above,  with  buff  edgings ;  forehead  and  lower 
parts,  white ;  breast  somewhat  clouded  with  dusky. 

Pelagic,  occurring  off  shore  regularly  during  migrations,  and  occa- 
sionally coming  in  to  the  coast  or  up  the  rivers.  It  is  more  fre- 
quently seen  than  either  of  the  other  species  in  New  Jersey,  occurring 
in  May  and  September. 

Mr.  Chapman  observed  them  off  the  coast  of  Delaware  May  9th, 
1897.4 

Specimens  have  been  obtained  in  the  State  as  follows : 

One  shot  by  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  at  the  mouth  of  Bancocas  Creek  prior 
to  1868;  one  obtained  May,  1892,  on  Delaware  Bay,  and  mounted 
by  C.  A.  Voelker;5  two  obtained  on  Peek's  Beach  (Ocean  City)  May 
22d  and  May  23d,  1894,  by  L.  F.  Bowers  and  F.  L.  Burns;6  one  shot 
by  A.  P.  Willets  September  13th,  1895,  at  Anchoring  Island,  near 

1  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  X.,  p.  2. 
2Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  224. 
»  Birds  of  Penna.,  p.  77. 
*  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  X.,  p.  2. 
B  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  69. 
•Auk,  1895,  p.  189. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  119 

Tuckerton  i1  one  shot  by  D.  N.  McCadden  at  Stone  Harbor  Septem- 
ber 4th,  1903  ;2  one  procured  by  H.  Bergen  May  22d,  1896,  at  Cran- 
bury,  near  Princeton,3  one  in  the  Turnbull  collection  labeled  N.  J. 
without  date. 

224     Steganopus  tricolor  Vieillot. 
Wilson's  Phalarope. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  8.50-10.  Wing,  4.75-5.25.  Above,  blue-gray, 
with  several  longitudinal  bands  of  chestnut;  head,  pearl-gray,  becoming  white 
on  the  nape ;  a  broad  black  band  down  each  side  of  the  neck  from  the  bill  to 
the  sides  of  the  breast,  which  are  chestnut;  lower  parts,  white;  lower  throat 
tinged  with  cinnamon. 

Adults  in  autumn. — Dull  gray  above,  white  below. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Upper  parts,  dusky,  edged  with  buff ;  below,  white ; 
throat  tinged  with  cinnamon. 

A  rare  straggler  from  the  interior  of  North  America. 

Ord  records  a  specimen  of  Wilson's  Phalarope  shot  near  Philadel- 
phia May  7th,  1818,  and  prepared  for  Peale's  museum.4  Audubon 
was  informed  that  they  bred  in  New  Jersey  by  a  person  who  showed 
him  the  skins  of  two  specimens  procured  in  July  near  Cape  May,  and 
assured  him  that  he  shot  them  near  their  nest,  and  that  they  had 
four  eggs.  There  is  no  other  evidence  that  the  species  ever  bred  on 
the  Atlantic  coast  and  it  would  seem  probable  that  his  informant  was 
not  reliable. 

Dr.  Abbott  (1868)  records  two  captures — one  at  Deal  Beach,  the 
other  at  Atlantic  City. 

More  recently  there  are  two  records — a  specimen  shot  at  Ocean  City, 
May  19th,  1898,  by  Mr.  Gilbert  H.  Moore,5  and  two  shot  from  a  small 
flock  at  Cape  May,  May  4th,  1909,  one  of  which  was  shown  to  me  by 
Mr.  H.  Walker  Hand. 


1  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  II.,  p.  18. 

2  Cassinia,  1903,  p.  76. 

3  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  41. 

4  Ord's  Reprint  of  Wilson,  X.,  p.  234. 

5  Coll.  D.  V.  O.  C.    Cf.  Auk,  1898,  p.  268. 


120   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

! 

Family  RECUR VIROSTRID-ffi, 

THE  AVOCETS  AND  STILTS. 

Long-legged  Snipe,  which  habitually  wade,  and  can  swim  when 
necessit}'  arises. 

a.  Bill  decidedly  upturned  at  the  tip,  hind  toe  present. 

AVOCET,  p.  120 
aa    Bill  very  slightly  or  not  at  all  upturned,  hind  toe  absent. 

BLACK-NECKED  STILT,  p.  121 

225     Recurvirostra  americana  Gmelin. 
Avocet. 

Adults  in  spring  and  summer. — Length,  15.50-18.50.  Wing,  8.50-9.  Head, 
neck  and  breast,  pale  cinnamon;  scapulars  and  wings  (except  secondaries  and 
tips  of  greater  coverts),  dull  black;  rest  of  plumage,  white.  In  winter  the 
head  and  breast  are  white,  tinged  with  gray. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  winter  adults,  but  with  some  buff  or 
rusty  mottling  above. 

Nest  a  depression  in  marshy  ground ;  eggs,  three  to  four,  pale  olive  or  buff, 
spotted  with  chocolate-brown,  1.90  x  1.30. 

A  very  rare  straggler  from  the  south. 

In  1812  Wilson  wrote  that  he  found  these  birds  and  the  Stilts 
"associated  together  on  the  salt  marshes  of  New  Jersey  [Egg  Harbor] 
on  the  20th  of  May.  They  were  then  breeding.  Individuals  of  this 
species  were  few  in  respect  to  the  other."  Audubon  says :  "In  May, 
1829,  I  saw  three  of  these  birds  at  Great  Egg  Harbor,  but  found  no 
nests,  although  those  of  the  Long-legged  Avocet  of  Wilson  [i.  e.,  the 
Stilt]  were  common."  From  these  statements  it  would  seem  that  the 
Avocet  was  never  a  common  species  in  the  State. 

In  1869  Turnbull  describes  it  as  "rather  rare,  appearing  late  in 
April  and  leaving  in  October."  Since  then  we  have  only  four  records 
for  the  State :  One  shot  by  Mr.  I.  N.  DeHaven,1  last  of  August,  1886, 
near  Tuckerton ;  one  seen  by  Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott,2  Long  Beach,  May 
20th,  1877;  one  seen  by  Mr.  I.  W.  Griscom,3  middle  of  September, 


1  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  70. 

2  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  224. 

8  Forest  and  Stream,  January  23d,  1909. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  121 

1908,  at  Avalon,  and  another  shot  by  John  Fonda  at  Barnegat,  May 
31st,  1880.1  John  Krider  states  that  it  formerly  nested  on  Egg 
Island,  in  Delaware  Bay.2  There  is  a  specimen  in  the  Philadelphia 
Academy  collection,  taken  at  Beesley's  Point  by  Samuel  Ashmead, 
without  date. 

226     Himantopus  mexicanus  (Mttller). 
Black-necked  Stilt,  Lawyer. 

Adult  male. — Length,  13.5O-15.50.  Wing,  8.50-9.  Wings,  upper  back,  back 
of  head  and  neck,  glossy  greenish-black ;  rest  of  plumage,  including  forehead 
and  ring  around  the  eye,  white;  legs,  bright  red. 

Female. — Similar,  but  back  browner. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar,  but  edged  above  with  buff. 

Nest  a  depression  in  the  ground ;  eggs,  three  to  four,  buff  spotted  with  choco- 
late-brown, 1.80x1.25. 

Very  rare  straggler  from  the  south. 

Wilson  and  Audubon  found  the  Stilt  a  common  summer  resident  at 
Egg  Harbor,  breeding  on  the  salt  meadows  in  1812  and  1829,  respect- 
ively, and  Turnbull  and  Krider  state  that  they  found  it  nesting  on 
Egg  Island,  Delaware  Bay  [evidently  prior  to  1869],  but  it  was 
rather  scarce. 

A  letter  from  Wm.  M.  Baird  to  his  brother,  Spencer  F.  Baird,  dated 
Cape  Island,  July  16th,  1843,  states  that  they  were  present  there  at 
that  time,  and  a  few  days  later,  on  July  21st,  at  Cape  May  Court 
House,  he  secured  a  specimen.3 

The  only  recent  record  I  have  is  one  shot  at  Stone  Harbor  April 
27th,  1894,  by  C.  A.  Voelker.4 


1  Braislin,  Auk,  1905,  p.  78. 

2  Forty  Years'  Notes,  p.  62. 

8  Baird,  Cassin  &  Lawrence,  Birds  of  N.  A.,  p.  704. 
4  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  152. 


122        REPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Family   SCOLOPACID^E. 

THE  SNIPE  AND  SANDPIPERS. 

Long-billed,  usually  long-legged,  birds  which  secure  their  food  by 
probing  in  the  soft  mud  or  sand  of  the  sea  shores.  The  great  majority 
of  the  species  nest  in  the  far  north,  and  are  familiar  to  us  as  coast 
migrants,  occurring  in  mixed  flocks  or  flights  in  spring,  late  summer 
and  autumn.  They  have  been  much  shot  for  game,  with  the  result 
that  they  have  been  greatly  reduced  in  numbers,  and  some  species 
threatened  with  extermination. 

a.  Bill,  2.15-6.25. 

6.  Curved  downward  at  tip. 

c.  Bill,  5-8.  LONG-BILLED  CURLEW,  p.  140 

cc.  Bill,  3-4.  HUDSONIAN  CURLEW,  p.  141 

ceo.  Bill,  2.25-2.50.  .  ESKIMO  CURLEW,  p.  142 

66.  Slightly  upturned  at  tip. 

c.  Tail  barred  black  and  rusty.  MARBLED  GODWIT,  p.  133 

cc.  Tail  black  with  white  band  at  base.  HUDSONIAN  GODWIT,  p.  134 
666.  Bill,  straight. 

c.  Under  parts  uniform  rufous.  WOODCOCK,  p.  124 

cc.  Under  parts  rufous,  barred  with  black. 

EUROPEAN  WOODCOCK,  p.  123 

ceo.  Under  parts  rufous,  spotted  with  black.          DOWITCHER,  p.  126 
cccc.  Under  parts  white,  more  or  less  barred  or  streaked  on  breast 
and  flanks. 

d.  Wing  over  7. 

e.  Base  of  primaries  white.  WILLET,  p.  137 

ee.  Base  of  primaries  not  white. 

GREATER  YELLOW-LEGS,  p.  135 
dd.  Wing  less  than  6. 

e.  Tail  black,  with  a  subterminal  rusty  bar. 

WILSON'S  SNIPE,  p.  125 
ee.  Tail  transversely  banded,  black  and  white. 

DOWITCHER  (autumn),  p.  126 
aa.  Bill,  .75-1.50. 

6.  Throat  and  breast  rufous  or  dull  buff. 

c.  Wing,  6.50  or  over.  KNOT,  p.  127 

cc.  Wing,  5.50  or  less. 

d.  Under   side    of   primaries   finely    vermiculated,    black    and 
white.  BUFF-BREASTED  SANDPIPER,  p.  139 

dd.  Under  side  of  primaries  uniform. 

CURLEW  SANDPIPER,  p.  131 

66.  Entire  under  parts  barred  black  and  white   (streaked  on  the  throat) 
and  tinged  with  rusty.  STILT  SANDPIPER,  p.  127 

666.  Entire  under  parts  white  with  round  black  spots. 

SPOTTED  SANDPIPER,  p.  140 
6666.  Entire  under  parts  black,  except  crissum. 

BLACK-BELLIED  PLOVER,  p.  143 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  123 

6°.  Breast  black,  throat  and  belly  white.  TURNSTONE,  p.  147 

66.  Belly  black,  throat  and  breast  white  with  black  streaks. 

RED-BACKED  SANDPIPER,  p.  130 

67.  Head,  back  and  breast  dusky,  belly  and  chin  white. 

PURPLE  SANDPIPER,  p.  128 

68.  Belly  white,  breast  white  or  buff,  often  more  or  less  streaked  with 
dusky. 

c.  Breast  tinged  with  buff,  in  contrast  to  white  throat  and  belly, 
and  streaked  with  black. 

d.  Wing,  6  or  more.  UPLAND  PLOVER,  p.  138 

dd.  Wing  under  5.  PECTORAL  SANDPIPER,  p.  128 

cc.  No  buff-tint  on  the  breast. 
d.  Wing,  6  or  more. 

e.  Tail  feathers  gray.  KNOT  (autumn),  p.  127 

ee.  Tail  feathers  barred  black  and  white. 

/.  Bill,  1.35.  YELLOW-LEGS,  p.  136 

//.  Bill,  1.15.  BLACK-BELLIED  PLOVER  (autumn),  p.  143 
dd.  Wing,  4.50-5. 

e.  Bill,  1  or  less. 

f.  Rump  entirely  white. 
ff.  Rump  dusky  in  the  middle. 

BAIRD'S  SANDPIPER,  p.  130 

ee.  Bill,  1.25-1.50.  WHITE-RUMPED  SANDPIPER,  p.  129 

/.  Tail  feathers  banded  black  and  white. 

SOLITARY  SANDPIPER,  p.  136 
ff.  Tail  feathers  plain  gray. 

RED-BACKED  SANDPIPER  (autumn),  p.  130 
fff.  Tail  feathers  gray,  with  white  centers. 

STILT  SANDPIPER  (autumn),  p.  127 
ddd.  Wing,  4  or  less. 

e.  Two  toes  slightly  webbed  at  base. 

SEMIPALMATED  SANDPIPER,  p.  132 
ee.  No  webs  at  base  of  toes. 

f.  Bill,  1.  SPOTTED  SANDPIPER  (young),  p.  140 

ff.  Bill,  .60.  LEAST  SANDPIPER,  p.  130 


227     Scolopax   rusticola  Linnaeus. 
European  Woodcock. 

Adults. — Length,  13.50.  Wing,  8.  Similar  in  general  appearance  to  the 
Woodcock  on  the  upper  surface,  but  buff  below,  transversely  barred  with  dusky, 
and  wing  quills  and  tail  feathers  with  rusty  bars  on  the  outer  webs. 

An  accidental  straggler  from  Europe. 

A  specimen  was  obtained  in  Washington  Market,  New  York,  De- 
cember 6th,  1859,  said  to  have  been  killed  at  Shrewsbury,  N.  J.,1  and 
Dr.  B.  H.  Warren  records  another  obtained  from  a  game  dealer  in 
Philadelphia  September,  1889,  said  to  have  been  shot  in  New  Jersey. 


1  Lawrence,  Ann.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist,  VIII.,  1866.  p.  223. 


124   REPOKT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

228     Philohela  minor  (Gmelin). 
Woodcock. 

PLATE    18. 

Adults. — Length,  10.50-11.75.  Wing,  4.80-5.70.  Upper  parts  barred  irregu- 
larly with  black  and  rusty,  with  pale  gray  spots  down  the  back ;  back  of  head 
with  three  broad  black  transverse  bands  bounded  and  separated  by  narrow  ful- 
vous bands ;  under  parts,  uniform  cinnamon,  a  dusky  bar  from  the  eye  to  the 
bill,  and  another  across  the  ear-coverts ;  wing  quills,  dull  brownish-gray ;  tail 
feathers,  black,  tipped  with  gray  above  and  white  beneath. 

Nest  in  dry  leaves  in  the  woods ;  eggs,  four,  buff,  spotted  with  reddish-brown, 
1.50  x  1.15. 

Summer  resident,  but  most  abundant  in  migrations,  and  occasional 
in  winter.  Much  less  abundant  than  formerly. 

Mr.  H.  W.  Hand  tells  me  that  the  spring  flight  is  particularly 
noticeable  at  Cape  May,  beginning  from  February  28th  to  March  9th. 
In  autumn  the  migration  occurs  during  October  and  November. 
About  South  Orange  Mr.  W.  A.  Babson  states  that  the  birds  seem 
to  be  increasing  with  the  abandonment  of  summer  shooting.  The 
flight  occurs  there  in  fall,  from  October  15th  to  November  28th.  At 
Princeton  he  found  them  staying  until  December,  and  at  Haddonfield 
Mr.  S.  N.  Ehoads  found  one  on  January  1st,  1881.  Mr.  Hand  also 
tells  me  that  they  occasionally  occur  in  winter  at  Cape  May. 

Mr.  W.  B.  Crispin  found  a  nest  at  Pennsgrove  May  20th,  1903; 
Mr.  A.  H.  Jillson  took  a  set  of  eggs  at  Tuckerton  May  13th,  1884,  and 
Mr.  Hann  reports  a  few  nesting  at  Summit,  but  it  is  becoming  a 
rare  breeder  in  the  State. 

In  the  old  days  the  abundance  of  the  Woodcock  may  be  judged  from 
the  statement  of  a  writer  in  Doughty's  Cabinet  of  Natural  History, 
who  says  that  in  1825,  on  the  Cohansey  River,  three  men,  in  two 
hours,  killed  upwards  of  forty  on  a  very  small  tract  of  ground. 

The  Woodcock  is  a  grotesque-looking  bird,  with  his  large  round 
eyes  perched  high  up  and  far  back  on  the  head.  He  is  a  bird  of 
low-wooded  country,  where  areas  of  soft  mud  afford  him  good  feeding 
grounds,  and  where  we  can  see  countless  borings  as  evidence  of  his 
presence. 

The  unfortunate  and  absurd  practice  of  shooting  Woodcock  in  July 


THE  BIEDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  125 

has  done  much  to  reduce  the  numbers  of  this  splendid  bird  until  it 
has  been  classed  among  the  vanishing  game  birds.1 

During  the  mating  season  the  male  Woodcock  at  dusk  performs  a  re- 
markable aerial  performance,  mounting  in  a  spiral,  his  rapidly  mov- 
ing wings  making  a  continuous  whistle,  and  then  back  to  earth  pre- 
paratory to  another  ascent. 

230     Gal  linage  delicata   (Ord). 
Wilson's  Snipe,  English  Snipe. 

PLATE  19. 

Adults-- Length,  10-12.  Wing,  5-5.30.  Above,  black,  striped  and  mottled 
with  buff  and  rusty ;  edge  of  outer  primary  and  tips  of  greater  coverts,  white ; 
throat  and  abdomen,  white ;  breast,  buff,  mottled  with  dusky ;  sides  broadly 
barred  with  black ;  under  tail-coverts,  buff,  barred  with  black ;  tail,  rufous, 
barred  with  black  and  tipped  with  white;  middle  feathers,  largely  black.  A 
dusky  line  from  the  eye  to  the  bill  and  another  across  the  ear-coverts. 

Ne#t  a  hollow  on  the  ground ;  eggs,  three  to  four,  olive  or  buffy-brown,  heavily 
mottled  with  darker  brown,  1.50  x  1.10. 

A  regular  transient,  occurring  in  spring,  March  20th  to  May  10th ; 
sometimes  as  early  as  March  3d;  in  autumn,  from  October  1st  to 
December  1st,  and  casually  all  winter.  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  has  seen  it 
in  winter  at  Trenton,  and  Mr.  Scott  has  found  it  in  springy  places 
where  the  ground  remains  unfrozen.  Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads  found  one  at 
Haddonfield  in  midwinter  about  1875.  W.  B.  Evans2  saw  one  at 
Moorestown  December  25th,  1902,  and  Mr.  W.  A.  Babson3  shot  one 
January  4th,  1900,  at  Princeton. 

In  the  vicinity  of  New  York  Mr.  Chapman4  says  that  a  few  pass 
the  winter. 

Wounded  birds  have  been  observed  as  late  as  June  by  Mr.  Scott  at 
Princeton,  and  Turnbull  says  some  stay  during  summer.  Mr.  Her- 
rick5  reports  that  such  birds  have  nested  on  several  occasions  near 
Chatham,  and  Dr.  Abbott  (1868)  states  that  some  breed  at  Trenton, 
but  gives  no  specific  instance. 

The  only  positive  record  with  which  I  am  acquainted  is  a  nest 
found  a  few  years  ago  at  Newfoundland  by  Mr.  A.  R.  Dugmore. 

1  Gf.  A.  K.  Fisher,  Two  Vanishing  Game  Birds,  U.  S.  Dept.  Agriculture. 

2  Bird  Lore,  1903,  p.  17. 

3  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  42. 

4  Birds  Vicinity  of  N.  Y.,  p.  39. 

6  Forest  and  Stream,  1879,  p.  165. 


126    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

231     Macrorhamphus  griseus  (Gmelin). 
Dowitcher,  Brownback. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  10-11.  Wings,  5.25-5.75.  Upper  parts,  dusky, 
blacker  on  the  back,  edged  and  barred  or  streaked  with  rusty  or  buff,  rump  and 
tail  barred  black  and  white;  under  parts,  including  sides  of  head  and  neck, 
cinnamon  rufous,  spotted  or  barred  (on  sides)  with  black;  center  of  abdomen, 
white. 

In  autumn. — Throat,  middle  of  abdomen  and  line  from  bill  through  the  eye, 
white ;  rest  of  plumage,  ashy-gray,  except  the  rump  and  tail,  which  are  barred 
black  and  white. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Upper  parts  varied  with  dusky  and  edged  with 
brown ;  chest  tinged  with  brown  and  indistinctly  speckled  with  dusky. 

Regular  transient,  not  uncommon  on  the  coast;  May  6th  to  20th 
and  July  20th  to  October  1st. 

Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott1  found  them  as  early  as  July  6th  at  Long  Beach, 
and  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  got  one  in  Cape  May  county  July  18th,  1878, 
while  others,  apparently  on  the  northward  migration,  were  taken 
as  late  as  June  10th,  1879,  and  May  22d,  1882.2 

232     Macrorhamphus  scolopaceus   (Say), 
Long-billed  Dowitcher. 

Very  similar  to  the  Dowitcher  of  which  it  is  the  western  representative.  Dis- 
tinguished by  its  longer  bill,  which  averages  2.70  instead  of  2.30 ;  its  generally 
larger  size,  length,  11-12.50  against  10-11,  and  the  deeper  coloration  of  the 
lower  parts  in  spring  and  summer. 

While  I  do  not  know  of  any  actual  New  Jersey  specimen  of  this 
species,  it  undoubtedly  occurs  as  a  rare  visitant  with  the  other  Dow- 
itcher. Krider  mentions  it,  and  it  has  been  secured  on  Long  Island. 


1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879. 

2  Colin.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  127 

233     Micropalama  himantopus  (Bonaparte). 
Stilt  Sandpiper. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  7.50-9.25.  Wings,  5-5.25.  Black  above,  streaked 
or  mottled  and  edged  with  buff  and  rusty ;  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts  barred 
black  and  white ;  a  cinnamon  rufous  patch  from  the  eye  over  the  ear-coverts 
and  another  from  over  the  eyes  around  the  back  of  the  neck ;  under  parts,  pale 
cinnamon,  streaked  on  the  neck  and  barred  elsewhere  with  black. 

In  autumn. — Tail-coverts  and  rump  barred  black  and  white ;  rest  of  upper 
parts,  ashy-gray;  lower  parts,  white,  streaked  with  gray  on  the  chest,  sides  of 
neck  and  under  tail-coverts. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Upper  tail-coverts  white,  back  edged  with  buff; 
under  parts,  dull  white,  tinged  with  buff  and  obscurely  streaked  with  gray. 

Rare  transient  on  the  coast,  and  according  to  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott, 
single  specimens  have  been  killed  on  the  Delaware  at  Trenton. 

The  type  specimen  was  shot  by  Bonaparte1  from  a  flock  at  Long 
Branch,  in  the  middle  of  July,  1826. 

Turnbull  (1869)  states  that  it  occurs  in  May  and  again  in  August, 
but  gives  no  definite  records.  One  New  Jersey  specimen  is  in  his 
collection  from  Brigantine  Beach. 

In  1879,  between  July  15th  and  September  15th,  Dr.  Jonathan 
D wight2  secured  ten  specimens  at  Squan  Beach ;  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily  got 
two  from  a  flock  of  four  at  Cape  May  August  llth,  1897,  and  on 
August  20th,  1897,  got  another  from  a  flock  of  three  on  Two  Mile 
Beach. 

234    Tringa  canutus  Linnasus. 
Knot,  Grayback,  Robin-snipe. 

PLATE  20. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  10-11.  Wing,  6.50.  Above,  pale  gray,  irregularly 
streaked  and  mottled  with  black;  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts  barred  black 
and  white;  under  parts,  pale  cinnamon  rufous;  flanks,  under  tail-coverts  (and 
sometimes  belly),  white,  with  some  dusky  streaks. 

In  autumn. — Ashy-gray  above,  except  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts,  which  are 
barred  black  and  white ;  below,  white  with  dusky  streaks  on  foreneck,  chest 
and  sides. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar,  but  feathers  of  back  narrowly  edged  with 
black  and  tipped  with  whitish ;  under  parts,  white,  finely  mottled  or  streaked 
with  dusky  on  breast  and  sides. 


1  Ann.  Lye.,  N.  Y.,  II.,  p.  157. 

2  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  63. 


128   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Transient:  much  less  common  than  formerly.  Occurs  during  the 
latter  half  of  May,  and  again  from  the  middle  of  July  to  October. 
Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  took  one  in  Cape  May  county  as  late  as  June  3d 
in  1879. 

235     Arquatella  maritima  (Briinnich). 
Purple  Sandpiper. 

Winter  adults. — Length,  8-9.50.  Wing,  5-5.40.  Above,  sooty  black,  edges  of 
greater  coverts  and  some  secondaries  entirely  white ;  under  parts,  gray,  passing 
into  white  on  the  abdomen. 

Young  in  first  winter  edged  with  buff  above. 

A  very  rare  winter  visitant. 

Turnbull  (1869)  says  it  is  very  rarely  seen  so  far  south,  and  one 
specimen  from  Egg  Harbor  is  contained  in  his  collection  without  date.1 
Dr.  Abbott  (1868)  states  that  a  specimen  was  found  dead  near  the  Ab- 
secon  lighthouse,  and  Mr.  A.  P.  Willets  shot  one  at  Beach  Haven 
October  31st,  1896. x  Krider2  states  that  he  only  obtained  two  speci- 
mens during  his  long  experience.  These  are  the  only  definite  New 
Jersey  records,  although  Chapman,3  referring  probably  to  Long 
Island,  says  it  is  a  rare  but  regular  winter  resident. 


239     Pisobia  maculata   (Vieillot). 
Pectoral  Sandpiper,  Grass-snipe. 

Adults. — Length,  8-9.50.  Wing,  5-5.50.  Head  and  neck  streaked  pale  buff 
and  dusky;  back  and  rump,  blackish,  the  former  edged  with  buff;  throat  and 
entire  abdomen,  white ;  neck  and  breast,  buff,  streaked  with  dusky. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar,  but  more  rusty  above. 

Transient  along  the  coast;  common  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York, 
according  to  Chapman,  but  apparently  less  abundant  along  the  New 
Jersey  beaches.  It  occurs  in  April  and  from  August  to  October, 
always  more  plentiful  in  fall.  It  was  common  in  the  time  of  Bona- 
parte and  Turnbull.  Mr.  Scott  found  it  scarce  at  Long  Beach  in 

1  Colin.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila. 

2  Field  Notes,  p.  64. 

3  Birds  Vicinity  N.  Y.,  p.  39. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  129 

1877,1  and  Mr.  Laurent  makes  the  same  statement  far  Five  Mile 
Beach.  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott2  obtained  specimens  on  the  beaches  of  Cape 
May  county  October  4th,  1879,  and  September  14th,  1880,  and  Mr. 
W.  L.  Baily3  found  a  number  at  Holly  Beach  in  September,  1895. 

Mr.  Baily  reports  a  specimen  shot  on  the  Delaware  River  March 
26th,  1886,  and  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott4  and  Dr.  Thomas5  state  that  they 
are  occasional  on  the  upper  part  of  the  river.  Near  Princeton  they 
also  occur  occasionally,  and  on  August  29th,  1895,  Dr.  Farr  found 
them  abundant  at  Cranbury  Millpond.6 


240     Pisobia  fuscicollis   (Vieillot). 

White-rumped  Sandpiper. 

Adults. — Length,  6.75-8,  Wing,  4.90-5.  Plumage  similar  to  Ereunetea 
pusillus,  but  the  rump  pure  white,  and  streaks  on  breast  and  sides  of  head 
rather  finer  and  narrower.  Distinguished  also  by  its  larger  size,  being  inter- 
mediate between  the  Semipalmated  and  Red-backed  Sandpipers. 

Transient,  and  apparently  rather  scarce  on  the  New  Jersey  coast, 
although  Mr.  Chapman  says  it  is  not  uncommon  in  the  vicinity  of 
New  York  City.7 

Bonaparte  was  apparently  the  first  to  find  this  species  in  the  State, 
as  he  shot  specimens  on  the  coast  prior  to  1832,  and  stated  that  they 
were  rather  common  there  in  autumn.  Turnbull  (1869)  says  that  it 
is  frequent,  and  Mr.  Scott8  found  it  common  at  Long  Beach  in  1877. 
Mr.  Laurent,0  however,  regards  it  as  rare  at  Five  Mile  Beach,  and  I 
have  found  no  specimens  in  collections  made  on  the  New  Jersey  coast 
in  recent  years.  It  is  quite  likely  that  it  is  confused  with  the  Least 
and  Semipalmated  Sandpipers,  with  which  it  associates,  and  which  it 
so  closely  resembles.  These  birds  are  so  common  that  they  would  be 
passed  by  and  not  collected,  and  this  probably  accounts  for  the  scarcity 
of  the  present  species  in  local  collections. 

1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  225. 

2  Colin.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila. 
8Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  II.,  p.  18. 

4  Birds  of  N.  J.,  1868. 

5  Birds  of  Bucks  county,  Pa. 

6  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  42. 

7  Birds  Vicinity  N.  Y.,  p.  39. 

8  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879. 

9  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  53. 

9 


130   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

241     Pisobia  bairdi   (Cmies). 
Baird's  Sandpiper. 

Length,  7-7.50.  Wing,  4.60-4.80.  Closely  resembles  the  preceding  in  size 
and  general  appearance,  but  the  rump  is  broadly  dusky  in  the  middle  and  the 
breast  strongly  tinged  with  buff. 

Rare  transient  in  the  autumn.  There  is  but  one  record,  a  male 
shot  at  Stone  Harbor  September  5th,  1898,  by  Mr.  David  McCadden, 
and  now  in  the  collection  of  the  Philadelphia  Academy.  It  was  pre- 
sented by  Mr.  H.  W.  Fowler. 

242     Pisobia  minutilla    (Vieillot). 
Least  Sandpiper,  Peep,  Oxeye. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  5-6.50.  Wing,  3.50-3.75.  Above,  black,  irregu- 
larly marked  and  streaked  with  rusty  and  buff ;  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts. 
dull  black  ;  under  parts,  white,  except  foreneck  and  chest,  which  are  tinged 
with  brown  and  streaked  with  dusky. 

In  autumn. — Plain  brownish-gray  above ;  throat  and  abdomen,  white  ;  breast, 
ashy-gray,  obscurely  streaked. 

Very  common  transient,  occurring  during  May,  and  again  July 
15th  to  September  15th.  At  Long  Beach,  in  1877,  Mr.  Scott1  found 
them  as  early  as  July  7th. 

They  occur  up  the  Delaware  occasionally,  usually  in  August,  and 
at  various  places  inland.  Mr.  Babson2  found  them  at  Princeton  in 
May,  and  from  July  25th  to  September  10th.  Audubon  found  them 
on  the  Raritan  River  July  29th,  1832,  and  Wilson  records  them  on 
the  Schuylkill,  at  Philadelphia,  in  August. 

243a     Pelidna  alpina  sakhalina  (Vieillot). 
Red-backed  Sandpiper,  Black-breast,  Dunlin. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  7.60-8.75.  Wing,  4.60-4.95.  Head,  neck  and 
breast  (except  chin),  dull  white,  streaked  with  black;  top  of  head  strongly 
tinged  with  rusty ;  back,  black,  bordered  with  rusty ;  wings,  dull  brownish, 


1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879. 

2  Birds  of  Princeton. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  131 

middle  coverts  tipped  with  white ;  belly,  black  ;  flanks  and  posterior  part  of 
abdomen  and  crissura,  white,  latter  with  narrow  black  streaks. 

In  autumn. — Above,  plain  ashy-gray;  throat  and  abdomen,  white;  breast, 
ashy-gray. 

'Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar,  feathers  of  upper  parts  edged  with  rusty 
or  buff ;  under  parts,  white ;  neck  streaked,  breast  and  belly  spotted  with  black. 

Very  common  transient,  occurring  in  May,  and  from  September  1st 
to  Xovember  1st.  Mr.  Scott1  found  them  at  Long  Beach  as  early  as 
April  17th,  1877,  and  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  found  them  plentiful  in 
Cape  May  county  April  18th,  1878,  and  at  Five  Mile  Beach  Mr. 
Laurent2  states  that  they  remain  all  winter,  while  Turnbull  (1869) 
also  states  that  a  few  winter,  and  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  obtained  two 
specimens  in  Cape  May  county  November  29th,  1878. 

Occasional  on  the  Delaware,  but  apparently  rare,  according  to  Drs. 
C.  C.  Abbott  and  Thomas.3  I  have  no  recent  record. 


244     Erolia  ferruginea  (Briinnich). 
Curlew  Sandpiper. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  7-9.  Wing,  4.80-5.20.  Head,  neck  and  lower 
parts,  cinnamon  rufous ;  upper  parts,  blackish  and  rusty. 

In  autumn. — Above,  plain  brownish-gray,  with  indistinct  shaft  streaks,  stripe 
over  the  eye,  rump  and  under  parts,  white ;  grayish  on  chest. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar,  but  back  dusky,  streaked  with  buff,  and 
breast  tinged  with  buff. 

A  very  rare  straggler  from  the  old  world. 

Audubon  says  "two  were  shot  at  Great  Egg  Harbor  in  the  spring 
of  1829." 

Turnbull  states  that  Wilson  must  also  have  met  with  it,  as  in  his 
portfolio  of  drawings  he  found  a  figure  of  the  species  in  autumnal 
plumage. 

Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  (1868)  says  that  specimens  have  been  taken  at 
Tuckerton  and  Cape  May. 

The  only  other  record  of  its  occurrence  in  the  State  is  one  in  the 
collection  of  Mr.  John  Lewis  Childs,4  shot  on  Long  Beach  July  29th, 
1904. 


1  Bull.  Nutt  Orn.  Club,  1879. 

2  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  53. 

3  Birds  of  Bucks  county,  Pa. 

4  Auk,  1904,  p.  485,  and  Warbler,  1904,  p.  71. 


132   REPOKT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

246     Ereunetes  pusillus  (Linnaeus). 
Semipalmated  Sandpiper,  Peep,  Oxeye. 

PLATE  21. 

Adults  in  spring.— Length,  5.25-6.50.  Wing,  3.65-4.  Upper  parts,  black, 
feathers  edged  with  buff  and  strongly  streaked  with  rusty ;  rump,  plain  dusky ; 
under  parts,  dull  white,  breast  and  sides  spotted  or  streaked  with  dusky. 

In  autumn. — Above,  plain  ashy-gray ;    below,  unspotted. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  spring  adults,  but  duller,  and  breast 
washed  with  buff  and  unstreaked. 

Abundant  transient,  occurring  in  May,  and  from  July  10th  to  Oc- 
tober 1st. 

Occurs  on  the  Delaware  occasionally  and  at  suitable  places  inland. 

This  species  is  probably  our  most  abundant  migrant  Sandpiper,  but 
it  associates  so  intimately  with  the  Least  Sandpiper  and  resembles  it 
so  closely  that  it  is  practically  impossible  to  distinguish  them  in  life, 
so  that  statements  made  about  one  apply  equally  to  the  other. 

247     Ereunetes   mauri   Cabanis. 
Western  Sandpiper. 

Closely  related  to  the  Semipalmated  Sandpiper  of  which  it  is  the  western 
representative,  and  from  which  it  may  be  told  by  its  much  longer  bill — .85  to  .95 
instead  of  .68  to  .75 — and  by  the  greater  amount  of  rusty  edgings  to  the 
feathers  of  the  upper  parts. 

The  Western  variety  of  the  preceding,  with  which  it  occurs,  more 
or  less  regularly,  in  autumn. 

A  specimen  was  obtained  by  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  in  Cape  May  county 
September  14th,  1880,  and  another  by  Mr.  I.  N.  DeHaven  at  Atlantic 
City  May  17th,  1892.  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily1  found  it  quite  as  plentiful  as 
the  Eastern  form  on  Two  Mile  Beach  September  1st  to  15th,  1895, 
and  secured  twenty  specimens. 

1  Auk,  1896,  p.  174. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  133 

248     Calidris  leucophaea   (Pallas). 
Sanderling. 

Adults  in  late  spring. — Length,  7-8.75.  Wing,  4.70-5.  Above,  black,  edged 
with  rusty ;  throat  and  sides  of  neck  and  head,  rusty,  spotted  with  black ;  rest 
of  under  parts,  white. 

In  early  spring. — Head  and  back  with  more  or  less  black  and  rusty  feathers 
appearing  among  the  gray. 

In  autumn  and  winter. — Pale  gray  above,  under  parts  entirely  white. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Gray  above,  mottled  with  black  and  white ;  below, 
white,  washed  with  buff  on  the  breast. 

Very  common  transient,  occurring  in  spring,  April  18th  to  June 
1st,  and  July  15th  to  October  15th. 

Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  obtained  a  specimen  as  late  as  June  13th,  1879, 
in  Cape  May  county,  which  is  in  the  full  rusty  breeding  plumage. 
Mr.  W.  L.  Bally  obtained  adults  at  Cape  May  August  4th,  which  were 
just  beginning  to  molt  into  the  winter  dress. 

Turnbull  (1869)  says  that  many  Sanderlings  remain  on  the  coast 
all  winter,  and  Mr.  H.  W.  Hand  tells  me  that  a  few  still  winter  at 
Cape  May,  while  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  took  one  on  Five  Mile  Beach  on 
November  28th,  1878,  and  Mr.  Scott1  found  six  or  seven  the  last  week 
of  December  at  Long  Beach.  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  (1868)  states  that 
Sanderlings  have  been  killed  at  Trenton  and  New  Brunswick,  but  I 
have  no  recent  record  inland.  This  species  is  more  strictly  a  beach 
bird  than  many  of  the  others,  and  is  seldom  found  on  the  bays  or 
marshes. 

/• 
249     Limosa  fedoa   (Linnaeus). 

Marbled  Godwit,  Marlin. 

Adults. — Length,  16.50-20.50.  Wing,  8.50-9.  Plumage  a  mixture  of  cinna- 
mon-buff and  dull  black ;  head  and  neck  streaked,  back  and  tail  barred ;  throat, 
white ;  rest  of  under  parts,  buff,  barred  with  black. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar,  but  under  parts  plain  buff. 

Rare  fall  migrant,  formerly  more  plentiful,  occurring  in  May  and 
September,  according  to  Turnbull  (1869).  Wilson  (1812)  says: 
"They  are  found  along  the  salt  marshes  in  May  and  for  some  time  in 

1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879. 


134   EEPOET  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

June,  also  in  October  and  November,,  but  they  are  much  less  numer- 
ous than  the  Short-billed  [i.  e.,  Hudsonian]  Curlews."  Krider1  re- 
garded them  as  plentiful  in  autumn.  Mr.  Scott2  met  with  but  three 
at  Long  Beach  in  1877,  an  adult  in  May  and  two  young  late  in  July. 
His  observations,  however,  ceased  September  1st.  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott 
only  obtained  two  during  many  trips  to  Cape  May  county.  These 
were  on  September  14th,  1880. 

Dr.  Warren3  states  that  a  few  have  been  taken  in  Philadelphia  and 
Delaware  counties,  presumably  along  the  river,  but  I  have  nothing 
definite  on  this  subject, 

251     Limosa  haemastica  (Linnaeus). 
Hudsonian  Godwit,  Eing-tailed  Marlin. 

Adults. — Length,  14-16.  Wing,  8.10-8.60.  Black  above,  head  and  neck 
streaked  with  buff  or  light  chestnut ;  rump,  base  and  tip  of  tail,  pure  white ; 
lower  parts,  darker  chestnut,  barred  with  dusky. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Brownish-gray  above,  head,  neck  and  under  parts, 
very  pale  gray  or  whitish ;  rump  and  tail  as  in  adult. 

Most  specimens  seen  from  New  Jersey  are  molting  from  one  plumage  to  the 
other  and  are  variously  mottled. 

Eare  and  irregular  fall  migrant.  It  was  first  mentioned  from  New 
Jersey  by  J.  Doughty,4  who  describes  and  figures  a  specimen  taken 
May,  1828,  at  Cape  May,  by  Titian  E.  Peale.  Another  specimen  in 
the  Philadelphia  Academy  was  procured  by  Mr.  A.  Galbraith  in  the 
Philadelphia  market  in  1855,  which  had  been  secured  in  New  Jersey. 
Turnbull  (1869)  states  that  it  is  rather  scarce,  arriving  late  in  Sep- 
tember. 

One  was  shot  by  C.  D.  Wood,5  September,  1878,  on  the  Schuylkill, 
below  Philadelphia,  and  another,  labeled  "Delaware  Eiver,  Dr.  Gam- 
bel,"  is  in  the  Philadelphia  Academy  collection. 

About  1885  Mr.  I.  N.  DeHaven  informs  me  that  they  occurred  at 
Atlantic  City  with  the  Willet  in  autumn,  two  or  three  in  each  flock. 
Since  then  I  have  seen  a  specimen  obtained  at  Cape  May  September, 
1900,  by  Mr.  Henry  Hazlehurst,  and  two  were  shot  at  Anglesea  by 
Mr.  H.  W.  Wenzel  August  26th,  1901,  one  of  which  is  in  the  collec- 
tion of  the  Philadelphia  Academy. 


1  Field  Notes,  p.  67. 

2  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879. 

3  Birds  of  Pa.,  p.  88. 

4  Cabinet  of  Nat.  Hist.,  II.,  p.  158. 

5  Trotter,  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  275. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  135 

254     Totanus  melanoleucus   (Gmelin). 
Greater  Yellow-legs,  Tell-tale. 

Adult*  in  spring. — Length,  12.15-15.  Wing,  7.50-7.75.  Above,  blackish, 
mottled  all  over  with  white  or  grayish ;  rump,  white,  with  dusky  tips  to  some 
of  the  feathers ;  tail,  barred  black  and  white ;  under  parts,  white ;  neck  and 
chest  streaked,  sides  barred  with  dusky. 

Adults  and  young  in  autumn. — Similar,  but  gray  above  spotted  with  white, 
spots  below  much  less  distinct. 

Common  transient,  occurring  April  20th  to  May  16th,  and  again 
July  15th  to  October,  some  lingering  until  November.  Mr.  H.  W. 
Hand  tells  me  that  the  main  flight  at  Cape  May  is  in  October.  The 
latest  records  we  have  are  one  shot  by  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  at  Five  Mile 
Beach  November  7th,  1877,  and  another  shot  by  Mr.  Ernest  Schluter 
at  League  Island,  on  the  Delaware,  November  9th,  1897.1 

I  saw  two  at  the  mouth  of  Pensauken  Creek,  on  the  Delaware,  May 
30th,  1897,  and  Mr.  W.  L.  Whitaker  took  one  on  Tacony  Creek,  Pa., 
May  llth,  1895.  Mr.  Babson2  also  finds  it  occasionally  at  Princeton 
in  August  and  September,  and  it  has  been  seen  at  other  points  inland. 

An  idea  seems  to  have  been  prevalent  that  the  Greater  Yellow-legs 
bred  in  New  Jersey.  Wilson  and  Audubon  were  so  informed  by 
natives  at  Egg  Harbor,  and  Turnbull  gives  the  species  as  a  summer 
bird,  without  comment.  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott3  includes  both  species  of 
Yellow-legs  and  the  Solitary  Sandpiper  as  breeders  in  Mercer  county, 
but,  like  many  other  statements  made  in  the  same  paper,  there  is  a 
lack  of  definite  data  and  no  confirmation.  Mr.  T.  Morgan4  records  a 
nest  at  Somerville,  N.  J.?  June  9th,  1883,  but  his  detailed  description 
shows  that  it  belonged  to  some  other  species. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  bird  has  never  been  found  nesting  within 
many  hundred  miles  of  New  Jersey. 


1  Fowler,  Cassinia,  1903,  p.  53. 

2  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  43. 

3  Amer.  Nat.,  IV.,  p.  548. 

4  O.  and  O.,  VIII.,  p.  67. 


136   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

255    Tetanus  flavipes   (Gmelin). 
Yellow-legs,  Summer  Yellow-legs. 

Adults.— Length,  9.50-11.  Wing,  6.25-6.65.  Plumage  similar  to  the  Greater 
Yellow-legs  at  all  seasons ;  easily  distinguished  by  the  difference  in  size. 

Transient;  very  rare  in  spring,  but  usually  common  in  autumn. 
Occurs  from  July  to  October  15th. 

Mr.  Scott1  saw  none  in  spring  at  Long  Beach  in  1877,  but  they 
arrived  as  early  as  July  9th,  and  were  common  through  August, 
Messrs.  H.  W.  Hand  and  Philip  Laurent2  state  that  it  is  not  so  com- 
mon on  the  Cape  May  beaches  as  the  preceding. 

It  is  said  to  occur  occasionally  on  the  Delaware,  although  I  have  no 
recent  record.  At  Princeton  a  few  appear  the  latter  part  of  every 
summer,  and  August  14th,  1875,  Mr.  Scott  secured  five  specimens. 

In  Wilson's  time  it  was  very  plentiful  in  autumn,  and  large  num- 
bers were  brought  to  market.  On  September  5th  he  "shot  several 
dozens  on  the  meadows  of  Schuylkill,  below  Philadelphia."  The 
alleged  records  of  nesting  in  the  State  are  without  foundation,  as 
stated  under  the  preceding  species. 

256     Helodromas  solitarius   (Wilson). 
Solitary  Sandpiper. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  7.50-8.50.  Wing,  5-5.40.  Upper  parts,  dull 
blackish-brown,  with  an  olive  tint ;  head  streaked  and  back  spotted  with  white, 
sides  of  rump  and  all  the  tail  feathers  but  the  middle  pair,  broadly  barred  with 
black  and  white ;  under  parts,  pure  white,  breast  narrowly  streaked  and  sides 
barred  with  dusky. 

Adults  and  young  in  autumn. — Similar,  but  duller  and  grayer  above,  with  less 
spotting. 

Rather  common  transient.  Occurs  on  fresh-water  streams,  meadows 
and  ponds,  but  is  rare  on  the  seacoast.  In  spring  it  is  with  us  from 
April  25th  to  May  30th,  and  in  autumn  from  September  15th  to  Oc- 
tober 20th.  Mr.  H.  W.  Fowler  has  taken  specimens  as  early  as  July, 
on  the  Delaware,  at  Holmesburg,  Pa. 

1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  225. 
8  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  53. 


THE  BIEDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  137 

Notwithstanding  Dr.  Abbott's  statement1  that  this  species  "breeds 
in  the  State  as  regularly  as  Spizella  socialis"  the  Chipping  Sparrow, 
no  one  else  has  found  the  nest,  and  none  of  the  alleged  nests  or  eggs 
seems  to  have  been  preserved.  There  is  no  doubt,  I  think,  but  that 
this  species  nests  on  the  Pocono  Mountains,  in  Pennsylvania,  and 
there  is,  of  course,  a  chance  of  its  breeding  in  the  mountainous  coun- 
ties of  Northwestern  New  Jersey,  but  hardly  in  Mercer  county. 

This  is  almost  the  only  migrant  Sandpiper  that  one  is  likely  to  see 
regularly  away  from  the  coast.  We  come  upon  them  singly  or  in 
parties  of  two  or  three  about  some  pond  or  meadow.  In  general  ap- 
pearance they  recall  the  Spotted  Sandpiper,  but  may  be  easily  recog- 
nized by  their  larger  size. 

258     Catoptrophorus  semipalmatus   (Gmelin). 
Willet. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  15-17.  Wing,  7.50-9.  Gray  above,  tinged  with 
brown,  streaked  and  barred  with  dusky ;  rump  and  a  large  patch  on  the  wing 
feathers,  white ;  middle  tail  feathers,  barred ;  others  white,  mottled  with  gray ; 
under  parts  white,  washed  with  gray  on  the  neck  and  buff  on  the  sides ;  neck 
and  chest  streaked  and  sides  barred  with  dusky. 

Adults  and  young  in  autumn. — Pale  gray  above,  white  beneath,  rump  and 
wings  as  in  spring. 

Rare  fall  migrant.  Formerly  common  along  the  coast,  April  20th 
to  May  15th  and  July  17th  to  September  15th;  and  casual  up  Dela- 
ware Bay.  Also  bred  extensively. 

Wilson  (1812)  says:  "This  is  one  of  the  most  noisy  and  noted 
birds  that  inhabit  our  salt  marshes  in  summer.  *  *  *  It  breeds  in 
great  numbers,  and  has  eggs  May  20th."  Turnbull  (1869)  records  it 
as  still  common  from  the  middle  of  April  to  October. 

At  Long  Beach  Scott2  (1879)  writes:  "Said  to  have  been  formerly 
one  of  the  most  abundant  breeding  species,  but  is  fast  becoming  rare 
by  the  inroads  of  gunners  and  egg-hunters.  I  took  a  male  April  6th, 
1877,  and  saw  no  others  until  May.  On  the  17th  of  July  they  began 
coming  from  the  north,  and  were  very  common  for  a  time."  Mr.  S. 
N.  Rhoads  secured  one  September  1st,  1881,  on  the  same  beach,  and 
another  October,  1882,  and  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily  got  one  at  Atlantic  City 
in  the  fall  of  1884;  saw  a  number  at  Five  Mile  Beach  July  23d  to 
August  17th,  1896;  three  at  Cape  May  in  August,  1897;  one  at  Five 


1  Amer.  Nat.,  IV.,  p.  548. 

2  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  225. 


138        REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Mile  Beach  May  21st,  1898,  and  one  at  Beach  Haven  August  9th, 
1902.  Mr.  C.  S.  Shick1  states  that  the  Willets  were  still  breeding  on 
the  salt  marshes  adjoining  Seven  Mile  Beach  in  1889,  when  he  took 
two  sets  of  eggs  on  Gull  Island. 

Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott,  on  Five  Mile  Beach,  took  only  two  of  these  birds 
May  15th,  1877,  and  September  14th,  1880,  and  Mr.  Laurent,2  writing 
of  the  same  spot  in  1892,  says  a  few  are  seen  in  spring  and  fall. 

On  the  bay  side  of  the  Cape  May  peninsula  they  also  bred,  and  a 
nest  is  recorded  by  Mr.  C.  E.  Bellows,3  which  was  taken  May  19th, 
1884,  near  the  Warner  House,  on  Delaware  Bay. 

The  last  capture  of  the  bird  that  we  know  of  in  this  vicinity  was 
one  obtained  by  Mr.  W.  R.  Wharton,  October  8th,  1904,  near  Salem, 
and  presented  to  Mr.  F.  L.  Burns.4  , 

260     Machetes  pugnax  (Linnaeus). 
Ruff. 

Adult  male. — Length,  10-12.50.  Wing,  6.40.  Mottled  above,  black,  buff  and 
gray,  long  pendant  feathers  forming  a  cape  and  extended  "ruff;"  these  are 
varied — glossy  black,  white,  buff  or  mottled,  differing  in  each  individual ;  under 
parts,  white,  varied  with  black. 

Female  without  "cape"  or  "ruff ;"  upper  parts  barred,  black,  white  and  buff ; 
below,  white. 

Young  dusky  above,  edged  with  buff;    breast,  buff;    abdomen,  white. 

Accidental  straggler  from  Europe. 

Mr.  Chapman5  records  one  in  the  Elliott  collection  in  the  American 
Museum  collection  labeled  "Barnegat,  N.  J.,"  and  Turnbull  mentions 
one  secured  on  the  New  Jersey  coast. 


261     Bartramia  longicauda   (Bechstein). 

Upland  Plover,  Field  Plover. 

PLATE  22. 

Adults. — Length,  11-12.75.  Wing,  6.50-7.  Head  and  neck  streaked  black 
and  buff ;  back,  etc.,  barred  with  the  same ;  wings  and  middle  tail  feathers, 
brownish;  outer  primary  barred  with  white,  rest  of  tail  feathers,  white  and 
buff,  barred  with  black ;  under  parts,  buff,  becoming  white  on  the  belly. 


1  Auk,  1890,  p.  328. 

2  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  53. 

3  Forest  and  Stream,  XXII.,  p.  364. 
*  Wilson,  Bulletin,  1905,  p.  27. 

5  Birds  Vicinity  N.  Y.,  p.  40. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  139 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar,  but  deeper  buff,  with  streaks  and  bars  less 
distinct. 

Xcst  a  hollow  on  the  ground,  usually  in  an  old  upland  field ;  eggs,  four  to 
five,  cream  or  buff,  with  reddish-brown  spots  clustered  about  the  larger  end, 
1.75  x  1.25. 

Transient,  but  not  common,,  breeding  very  rarely.  Formerly  a  com- 
mon migrant  and  summer  resident  in  many  parts  of  the  State. 

They  arrive  in  the  Delaware  Valley  from  April  10th  to  24th,  and 
are  seldom  seen  after  September  10th. 

Mr.  Babson1  states  that  a  nest  found  near  Princeton  June  30th, 
1898,  was  the  only  instance  of  its  breeding  there  in  four  years, 
although  twenty  years  ago  Professor  Phillips  told  him  it  was  a  com- 
mon summer  resident. 

Mr.  H.  W.  Fowler2  found  it  evidently  breeding  at  Ridgewood,  Ber- 
gen county,  in  1901,  and  Mr.  W.  D.  W.  Miller  writes  me  that  it  nests 
near  Raritan.  At  Salem  Mr.  W.  B.  Crispin  tells  me  he  has  seen  the 
young,  but  never  found  a  nest.  Thurber  records  it  as  a  breeder  in 
Morris  county  in  1886,  and  Bonaparte3  says  it  was  common  in  sum- 
mer "on  plains  near  the  seacoast."  Wilson  found  it  apparently 
nesting  near  Burlington  in  June.  It  is  rare  on  the  coast. 


262     Tryngites  subruficollis   (Vieillot). 
Buff-breasted  Sandpiper. 

Adults. — Length,  7-8.50.  Wing,  5.10-5.50.  Above,  grayish-brown,  varied 
with  blackish  ;  below,  pale  buff,  with  obscure  mottlings  of  black  on  the  breast ; 
axillars,  white ;  inner  webs  of  primaries,  white,  finely  mottled  with  black  ;  tail 
feathers,  except  middle  pair,  buff,  irregularly  barred  with  black. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar,  but  duller,  with  mottling  on  primaries  still 
finer. 

A  rare  straggler  from  the  interior  of  North  America. 

Turnbull  (1869)  states  that  it  is  rather  rare,  and  generally  seen 
late  in  autumn. 

The  only  occurrences  of  the  bird  with  which  I  am  familiar  are  two 
specimens  secured  by  Mr.  W.  M.  Swain,  one  in  September,  1898, 


1  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  43. 

2Cassinia,  1901,  p.  50. 

3  Ann.  Lye.,  N.  Y.,  II.,  p.  325. 


140   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

between  the  7th  and  21st/  half  a  mile  south  of  Cedar  Creek,  Barnegat 
Bay;  the  other,  September  8th,  1899,  one  and  a  half  miles  north  of 
Toms  River,  on  the  west  shore  of  the  Bay. 


263     Actitis  macularia  (Linnaeus). 
Spotted  Sandpiper. 

PLATE  23. 

Adults  in  summer. — Length,  7-8.  Wing,  4.10-4.60.  Above,  grayish-brown, 
with  a  slight  bronze  gloss ;  feathers  mottled  with  black ;  tail,  narrowly  tipped 
with  white;  outer  feathers  more  or  less  obscurely  barred  with  black*;  lower 
parts,  white,  everywhere  marked  with  round  black  spots  smaller  on  the  throat. 

In  autumn. — Plain  bronze-brown  above  and  white  beneath,  slightly  tinged 
with  gray  on  the  chest. 

Young  in  first  summer  and  autumn. — Similar  to  winter  adults,  but  feathers 
of  upper  parts  edged  with  buff  and  dusky. 

Nest  a  mere  hollow  on  the  ground;  eggs,  three  to  four,  olive-buff,  spotted 
with  dark  brown  and  purplish,  1.35  x  .90. 

Common  summer  resident,  nesting  throughout  the  State  wherever 
conditions  are  favorable,  even  along  the  coast  marshes. 

Arrives  April  20th  to  25th;  departs  October  1st. 

Mr.  Babson2  saw  one  at  Princeton  as  late  as  November  1st. 

The  most  widely  distributed  and  most  familiar  of  our  Sandpipers 
and  almost  the  only  one  now  breeding  in  the  State.  It  may  be  seen 
running  along  the  mud  flats  of  our  rivers  and  creeks,  now  taking  wing 
and  circling  out  over  the  water  to  alight  again  a  little  further  on, 
every  now  and  then  uttering  its  clear  whistle  or  series  of  short  whistles. 
It  nests  often  quite  well  away  from  the  water  in  a  grass  field  or  even 
in  a  garden,  and  the  downy  young  can  later  be  found  running  about 
with  their  parents. 

264     Numenius  americanus  Bechstein. 
Long-billed  Curlew,  Sicklebill. 

Adults. — Length,  20-25.  Wing,  10-11.  Above,  black  and  buff;  head  and 
neck  streaked,  other  parts  barred ;  below,  cinnamon-buff,  streaked  on  the  breast 
with  dusky  ;  axillars,  nearly  plain  cinnamon. 


1  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  III.,  p.  12.     Specimen  in  D.  V.  O.  C.  Colin. 

2  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  44. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  141 

Rare  and  irregular  fall  migrant. 

Formerly  regular  and  frequent  both  in  spring  and  fall,  appearing 
about  the  middle  of  May,  according  to  Wilson,  and  again  in  Septem- 
ber. He  further  states  that  "a  few  instances  have  been  known  of  one 
or  two  pair  remaining  in  the  salt  marshes  of  Cape  May  all  summer. 
A  person  of  respectability  informed  me  that  he  once  started  a  Curlew 
from  her  nest,  which  was  composed  of  a  little  dry  grass,  and  contained 
four  eggs.  This  was  in  July."  Wilson,  however,  never  saw  a  nest 
himself,  so  that  the  breeding  of  the  species  in  the  State  is  not  posi- 
tively established. 

Turnbull  in  1869  still  regarded  the  "Sickle  Bill"  as  frequent.  In 
1877  Scott1  reports  it  rare  at  Long  Beach,  and  very  shy;  seen  the 
middle  of  April.  The  only  subsequent  record  with  which  I  am  ac- 
quainted is  a  specimen  taken  by  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott,  in  Cape  May 
county,  September  14th,  1880.2  Mr.  Laurent's3  remarks  on  this 
species  in  his  "Birds  of  Five  Mile  Beach"  evidently  refer  to  the  fol- 
lowing. 

265     Numenius  hudsonicus  Latham. 
Hudsonian  Curlew,  Jack  Curlew. 

Adults. — Length,  16.50-18.  Wing,  9-10.25.  Differs  from  the  Long-billed 
Curlew  in  size  and  in  having  the  axillars  barred  with  dusky  and  the  lower 
parts  paler  buff. 

Common  transient.  April  25th  to  June  1st,  and  again  July  15th 
to  September  15th. 

Mr.  Scott4  found  them  at  Long  Beach  as  early  as  July  9th  in  1877, 
and  Mr.  H.  W.  Hand  saw  them  in  spring  of  1907  on  April  12th. 

Mr.  Hand  found  a  roosting  spot  on  the  meadows  on  May  23d,  1907, 
to  which  great  numbers  of  the  birds  resorted  at  dusk.5 

1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879. 

2  Colin.  Phila.  Acad. 

3  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  53. 

*  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879. 
5  Cassinia,  1907,  p.  69. 


142   KEPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

266     Numenius  borealis  (Forster). 
Eskimo  Curlew. 

Adults. — Length,  12.50-14.50.  Wing,  8-8.50.  Differs  from  the  Hudsonian 
Curlew  in  smaller  size  and  in  having  V-shaped  marks  on  the  under  parts  in- 
stead of  narrow  streaks.  The  head,  too,  is  uniformally  streaked,  with  no  light 
median  stripe  as  in  the  other  species.  Inner  webs  of  quills  uniform  dusky, 
which  at  once  distinguishes  it  from  the  preceding  in  which  they  are  barred. 

Formerly  a  "rather  rare  transient  in  May  and  September"  (Turn- 
bull,  1869) ;  now  apparently  almost  extinct. 

Wilson  was  not  acquainted  with  this  species,  the  bird  he  called 
"Eskimo  Curlew"  being  the  Hudsonian  Curlew,  as  long  ago  pointed 
out  by  Bonaparte.  Nevertheless,  both  Nuttall  and  apparently  Dr.  C. 
C.  Abbott  have  quoted  Wilson's  remarks  as  applying  to  this  species. 

The  only  definite  information  regarding  the  occurrence  of  the 
Eskimo  Curlew  in  New  Jersey  is  Bonaparte's  statement  that  he  had 
"occasionally  met  with  it  in  the  markets  of  New  York  and  Philadel- 
phia, though  in  the  middle  States  it  is  by  no  means  common." 


Family   CHARADRIID^E. 

THE  PLOVERS. 

Close  allies  of  the  Snipe  and  Sandpipers,  but  with  short  bills,  and 
usually  with  the  hind  toe  lacking. 

o.  Upper  parts  speckled. 

6.  A  small  rudimentary  hind  toe.  BLACK-BELLIED  PLOVER,  p.  143 

&6.  No  hind  toe.  GOLDEN  PLOVER,  p.  143 

aa.  Upper  parts  plain. 

6.  Two  black  bands  on  breast.  KILLDEER,  p.  144 

&6.  One  breast  band  or  merely  a  blotch  on  each  side  of  the  chest,  black  or 
gray. 
c.  Deep  grayish-brown  above. 

d.  Bill,  .50-.55.  SEMIPALMATED  PLOVER,  p.  145 

dd.  Bill,  .80.-  WILSON'S  PLOVER,  p.  146 

cc.  Pale  brownish-gray  above.  PIPING  PLOVER,  p.  145 


THE  BIKDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  143 

270     Squatarola  squatarola    (Linnaeus). 
Black-bellied  Plover,  Bull-head. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  10.50-12.  Wing,  7.50.  Upper  part  coarsely  mot- 
tled black  and  white ;  crown,  largely  dusky ;  forehead  and  back  of  neck,  white ; 
tail,  white  at  base,  rest  barred  black  and  white ;  under  parts,  sides  of  face  and 
axillars,  black ;  flanks  and  under  tail-coverts,  white. 

Adults  in  autumn. — Above,  dull  black,  thickly  spotted  with  grayish-white ; 
below,  white ;  lower  neck,  chest  and  sides  of  face  streaked  with  gray  or  dusky. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  winter  adults,  but  spots  on  upper  parts 
pale  yellowish. 

Common  transient.  April  30th  to  May  22d  and  August  1st  to  No- 
vember 1st. 

Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  has  taken  specimens  as  late  as  June  3d,  1879,  in 
the  spring  flight,  in  Cape  May  county,  and  as  late  as  November  7th, 
1877,  in  the  fall.  Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott1  states  that  they  arrived  in  late 
July  at  Long  Beach  in  1877. 

272     Charadrius  dominicus  Miiller. 
G-olden  Plover. 

Adults  in  spring.— Length,  9.50-10.50.  Wing,  6.80-7.40.  Similar  to  the 
Black-bellied  Plover  below,  but  upper  parts  dusky  blackish,  spotted  with  bright 
yellow ;  forehead  and  back  of  neck,  white,  as  in  that  species. 

Adults  in  autumn. — Above,  similar,  lower  parts  brownish-gray,  except  the 
throat  and  belly,  which  are  white;  slightly  streaked  on  the  breast. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  winter  adults,  but  yellow  spots  brighter 
and  a  yellow  tinge  below. 

Autumnal  transient,  very  rare  in  spring.  Apparently  not  abundant 
on  the  lower  New  Jersey  coast ;  certainly  much  less  so  than  it  is  about 
New  York,  where  Mr.  Chapman2  says  it  is  rare  in  spring,  but  common 
in  autumn.  Like  many  other  shore  birds,  it  seems  to  fly  direct  from 
Long  Island  to  the  Delaware  coast,  thus  avoiding  New  Jersey  unless 
driven  in  shore  by  storms. 

Its  occurrence  inland  is  also  irregular.  According  to  Dr.  Farr,  it 
is  occasionally  common  during  August  at  Cranbury,  near  Princeton,3 

1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879. 

2  Birds  Vicinity  N.  Y.,  p.  41. 

3  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  44. 


144   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

and  Mr.  Fowler1  was  informed  that  it  was  common  on  the  Upper 
Delaware  in  1870.  One  was  shot  there  also  in  1895,  and  several  at 
League  Island  on  the  Delaware  September  30th,  1904.2 


273     Oxyechus  vociferus  (Linnaeus). 
Killdeer. 

PLATE   24. 

Adults. — Length,  10-11.25.  Wing,  6.25-6.75.  Above,  grayish-brown,  with 
a  slight  bronze  gloss;  rump,  rufous  buff;  forehead  crossed  by  a  white  and 
black  bar ;  a  dusky  streak  from  the  bill  under  the  eye ;  throat  and  collar  all 
around  the  neck,  white,  followed  by  a  complete  black  collar,  and  this  at  a  short 
interval  by  a  black  breast  band ;  rest  of  under  parts,  white ;  wing  feathers 
marked  with  white,  tail  feathers  tipped  with  white  and  with  a  subterminal 
black  bar  (obscure  on  middle  pair)  ;  outer  ones  largely  white  and  buff,  barred 
on  inner  web  with  black. 

Nest  a  hollow,  often  with  small  stones  as  a  flooring;  eggs,  three  to  four, 
nearly  white,  with  very  dark  brown  markings. 

Tolerably  common  migrant  and  local  summer  resident  in  the  south- 
ern half  of  the  State;  apparently  much  rarer  in  the  northern  coun- 
ties. In  the  southern  part  of  the  State  it  also  occasionally  winters — 
Atlantic  City,  1905-6  (G.  S.  Morris)  f  Salem  county  (Rhoads) ;  Five 
Mile  Beach  (Laurent).4 

It  usually  arrives  March  20th,  stragglers  appearing  in  February, 
and  departs  by  October  25th. 

Mr.  W.  C.  Southwick5  saw  one  at  Raritan  February  22d,  1892,  a 
remarkably  early  date  for  that  vicinity,  and  one  was  found  at  Nave- 
sink  December  15th,  1888,  after  the  unusual  flight  of  birds  that  were 
apparently  blown  north  by  the  remarkable  hurricane  that  prevailed 
at  that  time.6 

The  Killdeer  breeds  at  Princeton  (Babson),  Plainfield  (Miller), 
Medford  (Stone),  Salem  (Crispin),  and  near  Pennsgrove  (Stone), 
and  is  given  by  Thurber  as  a  breeder  near  Morristown.  Mr.  S.  "N. 
Rhoads  saw  two  June  llth,  1909,  in  the  Wallkill  valley,  Sussex  county. 

A  familiar  bird  of  old  fields,  where  it  may  be  seen  running  grace- 

1  Cassinia,  1903,  p.  53. 

2  Cassinia,  1904,  p.  55. 
8  Cassinia,  1906,  p.  59. 

4  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  53. 

6  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  V.,  p.  2. 

6  Chadbourne,  Auk,  1889,  p.  255. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  145 

fully  along  the  ground  or  taking  wing  with  its  wild  plaintive  cry, 
"Kill-deer,  Kill-deer,  Kill-deer." 

Its  solicitude  for  nest  and  young,  and  its  tireless  efforts  to  draw  the 
intruder  away  from  them, 'are  pathetic. 

During  the  migrations  Killdeers  may  be  seen  along  the  seashore,  but 
for  the  most  part  they  are  to  be  associated  with  the  inland  pasture 
fields. 

274     Aegialitis   semipalmata   Bonaparte. 
Semipalmated  Plover,  Ring-neck. 

Adults  in  summer. — Length,  6.50-7.50.  Wing,  4.65-5.  Grayish-brown  above ; 
forehead,  white ;  fore  part  of  crown  and  band  from  bill  under  the  eye,  black ; 
throat  and  complete  collar,  white,  followed  by  a  complete  black  collar;  rest  of 
under  parts,  white,  tail  with  white  tip  and  subterminal  black  bar;  outer 
feathers  largely  white. 

In  autumn. — Black  markings  replaced  by  grayish-brown. 

Common  transient,  occurring  in  May,  and  again  July  19th  to  Oc- 
tober 1st. 

Stragglers  have  been  reported  on  the  Delaware  and  Raritan,  and 
one  obtained  at  Gloucester,  May  20th,  1882,  is  in  the  collection  of  the 
Philadelphia  Academy. 

277     Aegialitis   meloda    (Ord). 

Piping  Plover. 

PLATE  25. 

Adults  in  summer. — Length,  6.25-7.50.  Wing,  4.50-4.80.  Pale  gray  above, 
with  a  white  forehead,  followed  by  a  narrow  black  bar ;  a  black  spot  on  each 
side  of  the  breast,  sometimes  uniting  into  a  breast  band;  tail  similar  to  A. 
semipalmata,  but  paler. 

In  autumn. — Similar,  but  black  marks  replaced  by  brownish-gray. 

Nest  a  mere  hollow  in  the  sand ;  eggs,  three  to  four,  creamy-white,  with  dark 
brown  spots  and  markings,  1.25  x  1. 

A  rare  migrant,  if  indeed  it  occurs  at  all  in  the  State.  Formerly 
a  common  summer  resident,  breeding  on  the  beaches. 

In  Wilson's  time  (1812)  it  was  very  abundant  on  the  low  sandy 
shores  of  the  entire  seacoast,  and  he  procured  his  type  specimen  from 
a  colony  breeding  in  July  on  Scunner's  Beach,  at  the  mouth  of  Great 
Egg  Harbor.  In  1877  Mr.  Scott1  states  that  they  were  common  on 


1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  224. 

10 


146    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Long  Beach,  arriving  April  16th.  The  majority  went  farther  north, 
but  a  number  bred  and  had  fresh  eggs  June  12th.  Mr.  R.  C.  Harlow 
has  a  set  taken  at  Beach  Haven  June  8th,  1886,  and  Mrs.  Drown  has  a 
set  taken  there  as  late  as  May  30th,  1887.  ,  Krider1  (1879)  says  that 
it  bred  on  Seven  Mile  and  Peck's  [=Sommer's]  Beaches.  By  1889 
Mr.  Shick2  reports  that  it  bred  only  in  very  moderate  numbers  at  the 
former  locality,  though  it  seems  to  have  been  plentiful  in  1888,  ac- 
cording to  Mr.  H.  G.  Parker.3 

On  Five  Mile  Beach  a  few  bred  up  to  1892,  according  to  Laurent,4 
and  occasionally  wintered.  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  took  it  there  in  1879 
as  early  as  April  llth.  The  last  records  we  have  are  birds  seen 
by  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily  at  Holly  Beach  July  23d  and  August  23d,  1896, 
and  at  Cape  May  August  8th,  1897.  Stragglers  have  been  reported 
in  former  vears  on  the  Delaware.5 


280     Ochthodromus  wilsonius  (Ord). 
Wilson's  Plover. 

Adulte. — Length,  7.50-7.90.  Wing,  4.50.  Similar  to  the  Semipalmated 
Plover,  but  with  larger  bill ;  black  face  stripe  restricted  to  the  lores,  and  black 
collar  merely  a  breast  band ;  often  with  a  rufous  wash  on  the  sides  of  the  head 
behind  the  eye. 

Very  rare  straggler  from  the  south.  Xo  recent  records.  Formerly 
a  regular  summer  resident,  but  apparently  never  common,  as  compared 
with  the  Piping  Plover. 

Wilson  discovered  this  species  on  May  13th,  1813,  on  Cape  Island 
(now  Cape  May  City),  but  did  not  live  to  describe  it,  and  G-eorge  Ord, 
in  publishing  Wilson's  drawing  in  the  ninth  volume  of  the  American 
Ornithology,  named  the  bird  after  him.  Later  Ord  and  Titian  R. 
Peale  made  an  excursion  along  the  coast  and  found  the  species  pretty 
common  at  Brigantine  Beach,  and  at  various  localities  between  Great 
Egg  Harbor  and  Long  Beach.6 

Wm.  M.  Baird  secured  two  specimens  opposite  Cape  May  Court 
House  July  loth  and  17th,  1843.7  Turnbull  in  1869  regarded  it  as 


1  Field  Notes,  p.  61. 

2  Auk,  1890,  p.  328. 

3O.  and  O.,  XIV.,  p.  3. 

*O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  53. 

5  Warren's  Report  on  Birds  of  Penna.,  p.  102. 

fi  Ord.  in  Hall's  Ed.  of  Wilson,  1829,  Vol.  III.,  p.  156. 

7  Baird,  Cassin  &  Lawrence,  Birds  of  N.  A.,  p.  694. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  147 

nilher  rare,  arriving  early  in  May,  and  Beesley1  (1857)  listed  it  as  a 
rare  Breeder. 

Mr.  Scott-  did  not  find  it  on  Long  Beach  in  1877,  nor  did  Dr.  W. 
I,.  Abbott  or  Mr.  Laurent  find  any  on  Five  Mile  Beach  from  1877  to 
1892.  There  is,  however,  a  set  of  eggs  in  Mrs.  E.  Drown's  collection 
said  to  have  been  taken  at  Beach  Haven  June  26th,  1886. 

In  1886  Mr.  H.  G.  Parker3  stated  that  they  still  bred  on  Seven  Mile 
Beach,  but  that  is  the  last  record  of  the  species  with  which  I  am 
acquainted.  Mr.  Shick4  does  not  mention  them  as  occurring  on  this 
beach  in  his  paper  of  1890. 


Family  APHRIZID-ffi. 

THE  TURNSTONES. 

Close  relatives  of  the  Plover  and  Snipe,  and  strictly  maritime  birds, 
frequenting  the  beaches  and  turning  over  pebbles,  shells  and  beach 
"trash"  in  search  of  food.  We  have  but  one  species. 

283     Arenaria    interpres    morinella    (Linnaeus). 
Turnstone,  Calico-back. 

Adults. — Length,  9-9.75.  Wing,  6.  Above,  coarsely  mottled  with  black, 
white  and  rusty ;  back  of  neck,  upper  tail-coverts,  base  and  tip  of  tail,  white ; 
throat,  sides  of  face,  breast  and  abdomen,  white ;  a  black  line  from  the  eye  and 
another  from  the  bill  join  a  large  black  area  covering  the  lower  neck  and  sides 
of  the  breast,  and  reaching  up,  almost  form  a  collar. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — No  rusty  on  upper  parts,  breast  mottled  with  dusky. 

Common  transient,  occurring  May  1st  to  June  1st  and  August  1st 
to  September  15th. 

Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  (1868)  states  that  specimens  have  twice  been  shot 
on  the  Delaware,  at  Trenton,  after  severe  storms,  and  there  are 
other  records  for  the  river  in  early  years.  One  of  these  was  a  specimen 

1  Geology  of  Cape  May,  p.  143. 

2  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879.  p.  224. 

3  O.  and  O.,  1886,  p.  140. 

4  Auk,  1890,  p.  326. 


148   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

shot  by  Audubon,  near  Camden,  in  May,  1824,  which  served  as  the 
subject  for  his  plate  of  this  species. 

Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  secured  one  in  Cape  May  county  as  late  as  June 
3d  in  1879. 

Family   HJEMATOPODHXaS. 

OYSTER-CATCHERS. 

These  are  large  Snipe-like  birds  with  a  strong,  flat,  knife-like  bill, 
which  is  used  to  pry  open  clams  and  other  bivalves  upon  which  they 
live.  They  are  strictly  maritime,  and  but  one  species  occurs  in  our 
State, 

286     Hasmatopus   palliatus  Temminck. 
Oyster-catcher. 

PLATE  26. 

Adults. — Length,  17-21.  Wing,  9.80-10.25.  Whole  head  and  neck,  includ- 
ing upper  breast,  black ;  back,  brownish ;  secondaries,  upper  tail-coverts,  base 
of  tail,  lower  breast  and  abdomen,  white ;  tip  of  tail,  dusky ;  bill,  red. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  duller,  upper  parts  margined  with  buff. 

Rare  straggler  from  the  south. 

It  occurred  regularly  in  Wilson's  time  (1812)  in  small  parties  of 
two  or  three  pairs  together,  and  he  found  nests  at  Egg  Harbor  between 
May  15th  and  25th. 

Turnbull  (1869)  and  Beesley1  (1857)  both  give  it  as  a  rare  sum- 
mer resident. 

Mr.  Scott2  did  not  find  it  at  Long  Beach  in  1877,  but  Mr.  S.  N. 
Rhoads  saw  three  there  in  the  fall  of  1880.  At  Tuckerton  one  was 
shot  by  Mr.  Jillson  in  May,  1894,  and  another  was  taken  by  a  gunner 
on  Chester  Island,  in  the  Delaware,  May  14th,  1891.3  Mr.  W.  L. 
Baily  saw  three  at  Wildwood  August  9th  and  12th,  1896. 

1  Geology  of  Cape  May,  p.  143. 

'Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879. 

»  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  42. 


THE  BIRDS  OP  NEW  JERSEY.  149 


Order  GALLING. 

To  this  group  belong  the  so-called  gallinaceous  birds — or  birds  allied 
to  the  common  Chicken,  including  nearly  all  the  upland  game  birds  of 
the  world.  They  are  mainly  terrestrial  and  usually  associate  in  flocks 
or  coveys  after  the  nesting  season  is  over. 


Family    ODONTOPHORID^E. 

THE  QUAIL. 

289     Colinus  virginianus   (Linnaeus). 
Bob-white,  Quail,  Partridge. 

PLATE  19. 

Adult  male.— Length,  9.50-10.50.  Wing,  4.30-4.70.  Above,  chestnut,  barred 
and  speckled  with  black;  rump,  grayer;  inner  edges  of  tertials  edged  with 
buff ;  wing  and  tail  feathers,  gray ;  forehead,  a  band  below  the  eye,  and  a  half 
collar  around  the  chest,  black ;  throat  and  line  from  bill  over  the  eye  and  down 
the  side  of  the  neck,  white;  a  band  of  chestnut  below  the  black  half  collar; 
rest  of  under  parts  white,  tinged  with  buff  and  barred  with  black ;  sides,  flanks 
and  crissum  broadly  striped  with  chestnut. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  throat  and  stripes  over  the  eye,  buff,  and  scarcely 
any  black  on  the  head  or  chest. 

Nest  a  hollow  usually  in  a  field  among  grass ;  eggs,  ten  to  eighteen,  white, 
1.20  x  .95. 

Resident,  varying  in  abundance  in  different  years,  sometimes  nearly 
exterminated  in  severe  winters.  Quail  are  migratory  to  some  extent, 
and  flights  are  noticed  at  Cape  May  toward  the  end  of  October,  but 
the  species  is  always  present  in  the  State.  In  order  to  prevent  its  ex- 
termination sportsmen  have  introduced  birds  from  the  south  and 
southwest,  so  that  it  is  questionable  whether  any  true  unmixed  C.  vir- 
ginianus remain.  Mr.  P.  M.  Chapman  reports  a  typical  Florida  Bob 
White,  C.  v.  floridanus,  taken  near  New  York  City.1 

The  Bob  White  is  one  of  our  best  known  game  birds,  called  also 
Quail  in  the  northern  States  and  Partridge  in  the  south — neither  of 

1  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  IV.,  p.  5. 


150   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

• 

which  names  is,,  strictly  speaking,  correct,  as  the  bird  is  materially 
different  from  both  the  Quail  and  Partridge  of  Europe. 

In  the  spring  we  hear  the  clear,,  sharp  whistle  of  the  male  from 
which  the  name  "Bob  White"  is  taken.  The  birds  are  then  paired  and 
busy  with  their  nest  or  young.  By  autumn  the  whole  family  is  asso- 
ciated in  a  "covey/'  roosting  on  the  ground  in  the  grass,  and  taking 
wing  very  suddenly  when  approached. 

The  Bob  White  is  best  known  to  the  gunner,  but  the  farmer  has 
good  cause  to  know  him  and  protect  him.  He  is  a  famous  insect  eater, 
and  among  the  species  which  he  habitually  devours  are  the  Potato 
beetle  and  Chinch  bug,  two  of  our  worst  pests. 


Family   TETRAONID-flS. 

THE  GROUSE. 

a.  Tarsus  feathered  down  to  the  toes.  HEATH  HEX,  p.  151 

aa.  Tarsus  feathered  above,  bare  below.  RUFFED  GROUSE,  p.  150 

300     Bonasa  umbellus  (Linnaeus). 
Ruffed  Grouse,  Pheasant. 

PLATE  27. 

Adult  male. — Length,  15.50-19.  Wing,  7-7.50.  Above,  rufous,  streaked  and 
mottled  with  black,  buff  and  gray ;  a  tuft  of  glossy  black  feathers  on  each  side 
of  the  neck ;  tail  sometimes  gray,  sometimes  rusty  red ;  a  broad  subterminal 
black  band  and  numerous  narrower  bands  and  vermiculations ;  below,  pale  buff, 
or  nearly  white,  barred  with  dusky,  and  with  more  or  less  black  across  the 
breast. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  neck  tufts  much  smaller. 

Nest  a  hollow  among  dead  leaves,  usually  at  the  base  of  a  tree ;  eggs,  eight 
to  twelve,  pale  buff,  1.55  x  1.15. 

Resident,  but  common  only,  in  the  wilder  and  thickly  wooded  dis- 
tricts. The  Ruffed  Grouse — the  "Partridge"  of  the  northern  States 
and  "Pheasant"  of  the  South — is  a  bird  equally  as  misnamed  as  the 
Bob  White,  so  far  as  these  popular  terms  are  concerned.  It  is  a  wood- 
land species,  and  in  the  spring  the  males  may  be  heard  producing 
their  curious  booming  sound  known  as  drumming.  During  the  per- 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  151 

j'orninm-e  they  mount  a  dead  log  and  flattening  the  tail  upon  it  rapidly 
\  i brute  the  \\  ings  against  the  air.1  Much  discussion  was  formerly  in- 
dulged in  as  to  the  method  by  which  the  sound  was  produced,  but  all 
doubts  have  now  been  settled  and  the  bird  even  photographed  in  the 
act. 

With  the  extermination  of  the  Wild  Turkey  and  the  Heath  Hen, 
the  Grouse  becomes  our  largest  upland  game  bird,  but  unfortunately 
it,  too,  is  decreasing  as  the  timber  is  cut  away,  as  it  must  have  thick 
cover  for  its  welfare. 

306     Tympanuchus  cupido    (Linnaeus). 
Heath  Hen,  Eastern  Prairie  Chicken. 

Adult  male.— Length,  17-19.  Wing,  8.60-9.40.  Above,  barred  with  dusky, 
brown  and  buff ;  scapulars  with  conspicuous  buff  spots ;  under  parts,  white, 
broadly  barred  with  dark  brown ;  chin  and  throat,  buff ;  tail,  brownish,  tipped 
with  white,  a  tuft  of  not  more  than  ten  lanceolate,  pointed  black  feathers  mot- 
tled with  buff  on  each  side  of  the  neck,  with  a  patch  of  bare  skin  below  them 
capable  of  inflation. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  with  neck  tufts  much  reduced  and  tail  barred. 

Nest  similar  to  that  of  the  Ruffed  Grouse ;  eggs,  six  to  thirteen,  creamy-buff, 
with  a  slight  tinge  of  green,  1.70  x  1.25. 

The  Heath  Hen  is  now  extinct  in  New  Jersey  and  throughout  its 
former  habitat,  with  the  exception  of  Martha's  Vineyard,  where  a  small 
remnant  of  the  species  still  remains.  It  was  very  similar  to  the  Prairie 
Chicken  of  the  West,  which  is  likewise  disappearing  rapidly. 

The  home  of  the  Heath  Hen  in  New  Jersey  was  the  extensive  sandy 
areas  known  as  the  "Plains/7  extending  westward  from  Barnegat  and 
Tuckerton,  which  are  covered  with  a  growth  of  low,  stunted  oaks  and 
pines  only  a  foot  or  two  in  height. 

Krider2  states  that  he  shot  the  birds  here  in  1840,  and  Turnbull, 
in  1869,  says,  "Within  the  last  year  or  two  it  has  been  found  in  the 
Jersey  Plains."  This,  however,  seems  to  mark  the  time  of  its  final 
extinction. 

A  writer  in  Dough ty's  Cabinet  of  Natural  History,  in  1832,3  says, 
"The  barrens  of  Gloucester,  and  other  counties  of  this  State,  have  been 
the  most  celebrated  grounds,  east  of  the  Allegheny,  for  this  chief  of 
our  feathered  game.  In  former  years  they  were  in  great  abundance 


1  See  E.  J.  Sawyer,  Bird  Lore,  1908,  p.  246. 
-  Field  Notes,  p.  56. 
3  Pages  15,  16. 


152        REPORT  OF  JSTEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

on  these  barren  grounds  which  were  then  visited  by  old  and  scientific 
sportsmen,  who  regarded  the  laws  of  shooting.  But  lately,  through 
great  persecution  "by  those  who  have  no  claims  to  the  principles  which 
constitute  sportsmen  and  who  visit  these  grounds  months  before  the 
season  commences  by  law  and  while  the  birds  are  in  an  unfledged 
state,  the  Grouse  are  driven  from  this  favorite  abode.  Year  after  year 
has  this  unhallowed  persecution  of  the  Grouse  been  carried  on,  until 
the  species  has  been  almost  exterminated  from  the  State." 


Family   MELEAGRID-ffi. 

THE  TURKEYS. 

310     Meleagris  gallopavo  silvestris  (Vieillot). 
Wild  Turkey. 

Adult  male. — Length,  48-50.  Wing,  21.  Distinguished  from  the  domestic 
Turkey  by  the  deep  rusty  tip  to  the  tail,  and  chestnut  instead  of  white  tips  to 
the  upper  tail-coverts ;  the  dewlap,  moreover,  is  but  little  developed,  if  at  all. 

Long  since  extinct  in  New  Jersey.  Letters  of  early  voyagers  show 
that  Turkeys  must  have  occurred  throughout  the  State  as  they  found 
"stores  of  them"  in  Cape  May  county.1 

Family   PHASIANIDJE. 

THE  PHEASANTS. 

To  this  group  belong  the  common  Chicken  and  the  introduced 
English  Pheasant. 

Phasianus  colchicus  Linnaeus. 
Ring-necked  Pheasant. 

Adult  male. — Length,  30.  Wing,  10.  Tail,  18-20.  General  color  coppery 
chestnut,  with  bright  purple  and  bronze  reflections;  neck,  metallic  blue;  tail, 
long  and  pointed,  with  darker  crossbars. 


1  Beesley  Geol.  of  Cape  May,  p.  166. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  153 

Adult  female. — Brownish  mottled  and  varied  with  dusky ;  lower  parts,  plain ; 
tail,  barred. 

Young  males  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  female. 

Eggs,  buff  or  greenish-buff,  eight  to  fourteen,  1.50  x  1.30. 

These  birds  were  introduced  in  nearly  all  the  counties  of  the  State 
in  1897,1  and  again  at  Princeton  in  1900,2  and  probably  elsewhere, 
but  they  do  not  seem  to  have  established  themselves.  Perhaps  this  is 
just  as  well,  as  it  is  claimed  that  the  blackhead  disease  so  fatal  to 
Turkeys  is  spread  by  the  Pheasants  through  the  fields  and  woodlands 
where  Turkeys  feed,  so  that  raising  the  latter  in  a  country  stocked  with 
Pheasants  is  impossible,  and  in  the  same  way  the  native  Ruffed 
Grouse  is  said  to  disappear  when  Pheasants  are  established. 


Order  COLUMB-ffi. 

Family   COLUMBID-ffi. 

THE  PIGEONS. 

These  birds  form  a  very  well  marked  group  typified  by  the  domestic 
Pigeon. 

We  have  now  but  one  wild  species  in  the  State,  the  Mourning  Dove, 
though  formerly  the  Passenger  Pigeon  occurred,  and  once  the  Ground 
Dove  strayed  within  our  boundaries. 

Two  of  the  characteristic  peculiarities  of  Pigeons  are  the  soft,  more 
or  less  swollen,  cere  at  the  base  of  the  bill  and  the  habit  of  drinking 
without  raising  the  head  or  removing  the  bill  from  the  water. 

a.  Wing  under  4.  GROUND  DOVE,  p.  155 
aa.  Wing  over  5. 

6.  Rump  plumbeous.  PASSENGER  PIGEON,  p.  154 

66.  Rump  grayish-brown.  MOURNING  DOVE,  p.  155 

1  Rept.  N.  J.  Fish  and  Game  Com.,  1898 ;   also,  Oologist,  1898,  p.  81. 

2  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  25. 


15-1   EEPOET  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

315     Ectopistes   migratorius    (Linnaeus). 
Wild  Pigeon.,  Passenger  Pigeon. 

PLATE  28. 

Adult  male. — Length,  15-17.25.  Wing,  8-8.50.  Head,  neck  and  rump, 
plumbeous ;  back,  grayish-brown ;  some  black  spots  on  the  wing-coverts  and 
scapulars  ;  an  iridescent  patch  on  each  side  of  the  neck  ;  under  parts,  vinaceous  ; 
belly  and  under  tail-coverts,  white ;  tail,  black  at  base,  passing  into  blue-gray 
with  a  white  tip ;  middle  pair  of  feathers,  uniform  dusky  brown. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  head  and  breast  grayish-brown,  and  iridescence 
on  neck  much  duller. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar  to  female,  but  feathers  of  head,  wing-coverts 
and  breast  edged  with  white. 

Nest  of  small  sticks,  loosely  put  together  on  the  branch  of  a  tree ;  eggs,  one 
or  two,  white,  1.50  x  1.02. 

We  may  safely  say  that  the  Wild  Pigeon  is  extinct  in  Xew  Jersey, 
if  not  throughout  its  former  range.  While  there  have  been  numerous 
rumors  of  Pigeons  having  been  seen,  the  fact  remains  that  for  about 
ten  years  none  have  been  secured,  while  many  supposed  Pigeons 
proved  to  be  Doves. 

The  former  wonderful  abundance  of  the  bird  and  its  wanton  slaugh- 
ter are  now  matters  of  history. 

David  Pieterson  DeVries,  one  of  the  early  explorers  of  Delaware 
Ba}r,  states  that  in  April,  1633,  when  he  crossed  from  Cape  Henlopen 
to  Cape  May,  an  immense  flight  of  Wild  Pigeons  obscured  the  sky,  and 
Peter  Kalm  in  1725  tells  us  how,  in  Philadelphia,  people  killed  them 
from  their  house-tops  as  they  flew  over. 

While  such  occurrences  are  long  past,  there  are  yet  many  men  living 
who  remember  the  Pigeon  as  a  common  bird  regularly  shot  in  the 
autumn.  For  thirty  years,  however,  it  has  been  rare,  and  it  only 
remains  for  us  to  list  the  last  specimens  that  have  been  taken,  so  far 
as  they  have  been  recorded : 

Englewood  (two)  ;   September,  1878.    F.  M.  Chapman.1 

Haddonfield;  March  22d,  1879.    W.  L.  Abbott,  M.D.2 

Morris  Plains;   September  16th,  1885.    Thurber.3 

Morristown;    October  7th,  1893.    A.  B.  Frost.2 

Englewood;  June  23d,  1896.    C.  Irving  Wood.4 


1  Auk,  1889,  p.  302. 

2  Cassinia,  1907,  p.  84,  in  Colin.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila. 

3  Birds  of  Morris  county. 

4  Chapman,  Auk,  1896,  p.  341. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  155 

316     Zenaidura   macroura  carolinensis   (Linnaeus). 

Mourning  Dove. 

PLATE  29. 

Adult  male. — Length,  11-13.  Wing,  5.70-6.  Grayish-brown  above;  crown, 
plumbeous ;  coverts  and  tertials  spotted  with  black ;  under  parts,  vinaceous ; 
an  iridescent  metallic  patch  on  the  side  of  the  neck,  and  a  black  spot  below  the 
ear ;  tail  feathers,  plumbeous,  with  a  black  band  across  the  middle ;  outer  ones, 
white,  terminally ;  middle  pair,  dark  brown. 

Adult  female. — Duller,  with  less  iridescence. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar  to  female,  but  feathers  largely  tipped  with 
white. 

Nest  a  platform  of  twigs  on  the  branch  of  a  tree ;    eggs,  two,  white,  1.15  x  .80. 

A  common  summer  resident,  arriving  early  in  March,  and  occa- 
sionally remaining  throughout  the  winter. 

The  Dove  is  in  appearance  a  small  edition  of  the  Wild  Pigeon,  and 
as  it  is  often  hard  to  gauge  the  size  of  a  flying  bird,  it  is  not  surprising 
that  they  should  often  be  mistaken  for  Pigeons.  In  fact,  I  have  seen 
an  old  Pigeon  hunter  shoot  what  he  was  positive  was  a  Wild  Pigeon 
only  to  have  it  prove  to  be  a  Dove. 

Doves  are  common  about  orchards,  where  they  often  nest,  and  are 
likewise  found  on  the  ground  in  open  fields  or  along  the  roadside. 

In  autumn  they  collect,  sometimes  in  large  flocks. 

320     Chaemepelia  passerina  terrestris   (Chapman). 
Ground  Dove. 

Adult  male. — Length,  6.75.  Wing,  3.60.  Above,  brownish-gray,  becoming 
dusky  on  the  tail  and  bluish-slate  on  the  crown;  forehead  and  under  parts, 
vinaceous ;  breast  feathers  dusky  in  the  center ;  base  of  bill,  red  ;  tips  of  tail 
feathers,  white ;  inner  webs  of  wing  quills,  rufous. 

Female, — Similar,  but  forehead  and  under  parts  brownish-gray. 

Very  rare  straggler  from  the  South.  Turnbull  says  that  John 
Krider  shot  one  near  Camden  in  the  autumn  of  1858.  Krider  himself 
says:  "I  was  out  hunting  Quail  in  November,  and  on  my  return 
towards  the  ferry  through  a  thick  pine  wood  this  bird  flew  up  from 
the  ground/' * 


1  Field  Notes,  p.  56. 


156   EEPOET  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Order  RAPTORES. 

Birds  of  Prey. 
Family    CATHARTID-ffi. 

THE  AMERICAN-  VULTURES. 

These  birds  are  not  closely  related  to  the  Vultures  of  the  Old 
World,  which  they  resemble  in  habits,  but  which  are  more  nearly 
allied  to  the  Hawks  and  Eagles. 

The  Turkey  Vulture  is  a  common  species  in  New  Jersey,  while  the 
Black  Vulture  is  but  an  accidental  straggler. 

a.  Wings  reaching  to  or  beyond  the  tip  of  the  tail ;    tail  rounded. 

TURKEY  VULTURE,  p.  156 
era.  Wings  not  reaching  beyond  the  middle  of  the  tail ;    tail  square. 

BLACK  VULTURE,  p.  157 

325     Cathartes  aura  septentrionalis  (Wied). 
Turkey  Vulture. 

Adults.— Length,  26-32.  Wing,  20-23.  Plumage,  brownish-black;  darker 
on  upper  surface  where  feathers  are  edged  with  grayish ;  in  fresh  plumage,  the 
black  is  slightly  glossy,  but  later  becomes  dull  brownish ;  head  and  fore  part 
of  neck,  red,  unfeathered ;  bill,  white. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar,  naked  skin  of  head  dusky ;    bill,  blackish. 

Downy  young,  white,  with  head  dusky  gray. 

Nest,  none;  eggs,  two,  laid  on  the  ground  under  an  overhanging  rock  or  a 
fallen  tree  top,  white,  coarsely  spotted  with  chocolate  and  lavender,  2.70  x  1.85. 

Common  resident  in  Southern  New  Jersey,  from  Camden  and 
Ocean  counties  southward,  ranging  north  in  summer,  more  or  less 
regularly,  to  Sandy  Hook  (Chapman),1  Plainfield  (Miller),  Lebanon, 
Hunterdon  county  (S.  A.  Kram),2  and  Princeton  (Babson).3  Casu- 
ally farther;  Muscontiang  Valley,  Morris  county  (Caskey)  ;  Summit 
(Hann),  and  Orange  county.4 


1  Birds  Vicinity  of  N.  Y.,  p.  43. 

2  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  VIII.,  p.  4. 

3  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  46. 

4  Reynolds,  Forest  and  Stream,  XVIII.,  p.  181. 


THE  BIEDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  157 

Summer  or  winter  one  seldom  fails  to  see  Turkey  Vultures  in 
southern  New  Jersey  soaring  high  overhead  in  graceful  flight,  or  in 
the  former  season  often  assembling  in  considerable  numbers  where 
some  choice  piece  of  carrion  offers  them  an  opportunity  to  enjoy  a 
feast.  The  wrangling,  clumsy  birds,  with  their  worn  and  dingy 
plumage  and  naked  pink  heads,  as  they  tear  and  devour  the  entrails 
of  some  dead  animal,  offer  a  sharp  contrast  to  the  graceful  navigators 
of  the  air,  and  when  we  add  the  all-pervading  odors  that  attend  such 
a  feast,  most  persons  are  content  to  view  their  Turkey  Vultures  when 
sailing  at  a  distance. 

Their  nesting  site  is  some  low;  dark  wood  or  some  pile  of  rocks 
which  furnishes  a  safe  retreat,  and  here  the  two  little  Vultures  remain 
clad  in  pure  white 'down  until  they  have  reached  the  size  of  a  hen, 
when  the  black  feathers  begin  to  appear.  They  do  not  stray  far  from 
the  spot  where  they  were  hatched,  and  are  visited  by  the  parents, 
and  fed  by  regurgitation,  the  carrion  passing  from  their  overloaded 
crops  into  the  throats  of  the  young.  The  latter  not  infrequently 
again  disgorge  as  a  means  of  defense  against  too  inquisitive  intruders. 


326     Catharista   urubu   Vieillot. 
Black  Vulture. 

Adult.— Length,  23-27.  Wing,  16.50-17.50.  Plumage,  dull  black;  under 
surface  of  wings  near  the  base,  whitish ;  naked  head,  blackish ;  bill,  dusky. 

A  very  rare  straggler  from  the  South.  Mr.  Robert  Lawrence  says, 
"A  specimen  was  shot  at  Sandy  Hook  during  the  spring  of  1877;  it 
is  now  in  my  collection,"  1  and  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  (1868)  says,  "Proba- 
bly the  rarest  of  the  visiting  species,"  but  gives  us  no  clue  as  to  what 
his  statement  was  based  upon.  There  is  no  other  record  for  the  State. 


1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1880,  p.  116. 


158        REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Family  BUTEONID^. 
THE  HAWKS  AND  EAGLES. 

These  are  the  typical  birds  of  prey  with  their  powerful  curved  claws 
and  beak.  The  family  as  a  whole  has  gotten  a  bad  name  with  the 
farmers  as  destroyers  of  poultry,  but  all  intelligent  men  to-day  should 
be  willing  to  set  aside 'the  prejudice  of  generations  and  accept  the 
results  of  modern  scientific  investigation  into  the  food  habits  of  these 
birds,  which  shows  beyond  the  possibility  of  a  doubt  that,  with  the 
exception  of  two  of  our  Common  Hawks  and  one  or  two  of  those 
which  visit  us  at  rare  intervals,  these  birds  are  of-  the  greatest  benefit 
to  us,  living  almost  entirely  upon  mice  and  larger  insects.  The  most 
familiar  species,  the  large  Red-tailed  and  Red-shouldered  Hawks, 
commonly  but  erroneously  called  "Chicken  Hawks,"  and  the  Marsh 
Hawk,  are  in  fact  our  very  best  friends. 

The  injurious  species  are  the  long-tailed  more  slender  species,  the 
Cooper's  Hawk,  Sharp-shinned  Hawk  and  Goshawk.1 

a.  Tarsus  feathered  down  to  the  toes. 

6.  Wing  over  20.  GOLDEN  EAGLE,  p.  165 

66.  Wing  under  18.  ROUGH-LEGGED  HAWK,  p.  164 

aa.  Tarsus  not  feathered,  its  front  covered  with  small  rounded  scales  like  the 
sides  and  back.  FISH  HAWK,  p.  168 

aaa.  Tarsus  not  feathered,  its  front  covered  with  broad  transverse  plates  dif- 
ferent from  the  small  granular  scales  on  the  sides  and  back. 
6.  Tail  deeply  forked,  outer  feathers  12  to  14  long. 

SWALLOW-TAILED  KITE,  p.  159 
66.  Tail  not  forked. 

c.  Wing  over  20.  BALD  EAGLE,  p.  165 

cc.  WTing  under  18. 

d.  Head  bluish-slate,  centered  with  rufous. 

SPARROW  HAWK,  p.  167 
dd.  Head  not  slaty  and  rufous. 

e.  Rump  white.  MARSH  HAWK,  p.  160 

ee.  Rump  not  white. 

f.  Upper  parts  slaty-gray. 

g.  Below  white,  transversely  marked  with  dark 
slate  and  somewhat  streaked  with  blackish. 

GOSHAWK,  p.  162 

gg.  Below  white,  barred  with  rusty  and  slightly 
streaked  with  the  same. 
h.  Wing  over  8.75.     COOPER'S  HAWK,  p.  161 

1  The  species  of  the  families  Falconidse  and  Pandiouidee  are  included  in  the 
key  so  as  to  cover  all  the  Hawks  and  their  allies. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY. 


159 


lih.  Wing  under  8.75. 

SHARP-SHINNED  HAWK,  p.  161 

ggg.  Below      pinkish      or      buffy-white,      slightly 

streaked   on   breast   and   broadly    spotted   on 

the  belly  with  dusky.        DUCK  HAWK,  p.  166 

if.  Upper  parts  brown,  mottled  with  white  and  rusty. 

g.  Tail  rusty  red.          RED-TAILED  HAWK,  p.  162 

gg.  Tail  blackish,  with  three  narrow  white  bars. 

RED-SHOULDERED  HAWK,  p.  163 

ggg.  Tail   dusky,   with   one   broad   white  bar   and 

one  or  two  obscure  narrower  ones. 

BROAD-WINGED  HAWK,  p.  164 
gggg.  Tail  dark  slaty  or  brown. 

h.  With  about  seven  narrow  broken  bars 

of  rusty  or  buff.       DUCK  HAWK,  p.  166 

hh.  With  four  broken  bars  of  rusty  or  buff. 

PIGEON  HAWK,  p.  167 

ggggg.  Tail   grayish,   with   four  broad   dusky   bands 
(younger  birds). 

h.  Wing  over  12.  GOSHAWK,  p.  162 

hh.  Wing,  9-11.         COOPER'S  HAWK,  p.  161 
hhh.  Wing  less  than  8.75. 

SHARP-SHINNED  HAWK,  p.  161 

999999-  Tail  with  about  eight  narrow  dusky  bands  on 
gray,  white  or  rusty  ground  (younger  birds). 
h.  Many  of  the  primaries  rusty  or  whitish 
on  the  outer  web. 

RED-SHOULDERED  HAWK,  p.  163 
hh.  Primaries  all  dusky  on  the  outer  web. 
i.  Wing  over  14. 

RED-TAILED  HAWK,  p.  162 
ti.  Wing  under  12. 

BROAD-WINGED  HAWK,  p.  164 


327     Elanoides  forficatus  (Linnaeus). 
Swallow-tailed  Kite. 

Adult.— Length,  19.50-25.50.     Wing,  15.40-17.50.     Back,  wings  and  tail  and 
tip  of  tertials,  glossy  black ;    rest  of  plumage,  white ;    tail,  deeply  forked. 
Young  in  first  autumn  has  the  head  streaked  with  dusky. 


A  rare  straggler  from  the  south.  The  following  specimens  have 
been  taken:  One  shot  by  John  Krider,  near  Philadelphia,  in  1857, 
recorded  by  Turnbull,  doubtless  the  same  referred  to  by  Krider1  as 
shot  in  New  Jersey.  Mr.  Harold  Herrick2  records  one  at  Chatham, 


1  Field  Notes,  p.  10. 

2  Forest  and  Stream,  XII.,  1879,  p.  165. 


160   REPOKT  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

and  in  Thurber's  list1  two  are  reported  seen  by  L.  P.  Shirrer  and 
George  Held,  at  Morristown,  September  18th,  1887.  Another  was 
procured  at  Jerseytown,  Pa.,  on  the  Delaware,  by  Mr.  William  Kester,2 
August  18th,  1894.  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott3  reported  seeing  one  near  Bor- 
dentown,  July  28th,  1883,  but  subsequently4  changed  the  date  to  No- 
vember, 1883.  Mr.  J.  Harris  Eeed5  saw  one  in  southern  Cumberland 
county,  June  4th,  1893,  and  Mr.  C.  P.  Silvester6  saw  one  some  }rears 
ago  near  Princeton. 

According  to  Mr.  Babson6  Dr.  Abbott  states  that  taxidermists  had 
shown  him  specimens  of  the  Mississippi  Kite  shot  in  New  Jersey.  The 
record,  however,  does  not  seem  sufficiently  explicit  to  warrant  inclu- 
sion in  the  list. 

331     Circus  hudsonius  (Linnaeus). 
Marsh  Hawk. 

Adult  male. — Length,  19.50-24.  Wing,  13-16.  Above,  bluish-gray;  darker 
on  the  crown  and  back  ;  nape  streaked  with  white  or  buff ;  rump,  white  ;  under 
parts,  white,  with  scattered  spots  of  rusty,  especially  on  the  sides;  tail,  gray, 
obscurely  barred  with  dusky ;  outer  feathers  more  or  less  white,  barred  with 
reddish-brown. 

Adult  female. — Brown  above ;  rump,  white ;  head,  shoulders  and  coverts 
streaked  or  spotted  with  buff ;  below,  pale  buff,  heavily  streaked  with  brown. 

Young  in  first  winter. — Brown  above ;  rump,  white ;  occiput  streaked  with 
white  or  rusty;  wing-coverts  spotted  with  rusty;  under  parts,  rich  rufous 
buff ;  breast  slightly  streaked  with  brown. 

Nest  on  the  ground  in  marshes ;  eggs,  four  to  six,  pale  bluish-white,  1.80  x 
1.40. 

Common  resident,  but  a  rare  breeder  in  the  southern  half  of  the 
State  and  less  common  in  winter  in  the  northern  half. 

A  hawk  of  the  open  meadows,  sailing  low  over  the  ground  when 
searching  for  mice  and  always  identified  by  the  conspicuous  white 
rump.  Adult  males  are  rare,  most  of  the  birds  being  in  the  brown 
plumage.  N"ests  regularly  at  Summit  (Holmes),  Newton  (Philipp), 
Paterson  (Clark),  etc.  One  nest  was  found  by  Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott, 
at  Long  Beach,  June  28th,  1877,7  and  another  set  from  there  is  in 


1  Birds  of  Morris  county. 

2  R.  Kester,  Cassinia,  1903,  p.  76. 

a  Science,  Vol.  II.,  No.  29,  1883,  p.  222. 
*  Birds  of  Mercer  county. 

5  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  85. 

6  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  46. 

7  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879. 


THE  BIRDS  OP  NEW  JERSEY.  161 

Mrs.  Drown's  collection,  taken  June  25th,  1886,  while  Professor  A.  H. 
Phillips  has  found  a  nest  on  Phillips'  meadows,  near  Princeton.1 
Beesley  reported  it  nesting  in  Cape  May  county  in  1857,2  and  on  May 
13th,  1900,  Mr.  Robert  T.  Moore3  found  a  nest  at  Griscom's  Swamp, 
back  of  Great  Egg  Harbor. ' 

332     Accipiter  velox    (Wilson). 
Sharp-shinned  Hawk. 

PLATE  30. 

Adult  male.— Length,  10-11.50.  Wing,  6.10-7.10.  Above,  bluish-gray  ;  head, 
darker ;  throat  and  sides  of  head,  white  or  buffy,  with  black  shaft  lines ;  rest 
of  under  parts,  white,  thickly  barred  with  rufous ;  tail,  gray,  with  several  dusky 
bars. 

Adult  female. — Length,  12.50-14.  Wing,  7.80-8.80.  Similar  to  male,  but 
browner. 

Young  in  first  year. — Brown  above ;  under  parts,  white,  streaked  with  brown ; 
tail,  grayish-brown,  broadly  barred  with  dusky.  Younger  (?)  birds  have  strong 
rufous  edgings  above  and  under  parts  strongly  suffused  with  buff. 

Nest  of  sticks  in  a  tree ;  eggs,  three  to  five,  bluish-white,  coarsely  blotched 
with  chocolate,  1.45  x  1.15. 

Apparently  a  rather  rare  breeder  in  New  Jersey,  and  most  plentiful 
in  spring  and  fall,  though  present  all  the  year. 

The  Sharp-shinned  Hawk  is  a  small  edition  of  Cooper's  Hawk,  and 
exhibits  the  same  disparity  in  the  size  of  the  male  and  female. 

It  is  also,  like  Cooper's  Hawk,  destructive  to  small  birds,  and  I 
have  found  the  remains  of  a  dozen  in  a  nest  occupied  by  young  nearly 
ready  to  fly. 

It  is  one  of  the  few  Hawks  that  are  not  entitled  to  protection. 


333     Accipiter  cooperi  (Bonaparte). 
Cooper's  Hawk. 

Adult  male.— Length,  14-17.     Wing,  8.90-9.40. 

Adult  female. — Length,  18-20.     Wing,  10.10-11.     Plumage  at  all  stages  simi- 
lar to  the  Sharp-shinned  Hawk. 

Nest  in  a  tree ;    eggs,  three  to  five,  pale  bluish-white,  1.90  x  1.45. 

1  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  47. 

2  Geology  of  Cape  May,  p.  138. 

3  Cassinia,  1908,  p.  29. 

H 


162   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Cooper's  Hawk  is  a  more  common  breeder  than  the  Sharp-shinned, 
and,  like  it,  is  most  common  in  migrations,  being  rare  in  winter  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  State. 

This  is  probably  our  most  destructive  Hawk,  and  much  damage  to 
poultry  and  small  birds  that  is  charged  up  to  the  harmless  Red-tailed 
and  Red-shouldered  Hawks  belongs  to  this  species.  In  fact,  the  only 
other  species  which  are  injurious  are  the  Sharp-shinned,  Goshawk  and 
Duck  Hawk,  but  the  last  two  are  too  rare  to  require  much  considera- 
tion. If  the  poultry  yard  defender  would  learn  to  distinguish  the 
Cooper's  Hawk,  instead  of  slaughtering  the  beneficial  Hawks  as  well, 
he  would  find  it  to  his  advantage,  as  these  other  species  live  almost 
entirely  upon  field  mice  and  grasshoppers. 


334     Astur  atricapillus  (Wilson). 
Goshawk. 

Adults. — Length,  22-24.  Wing,  12-14.  Above,  bluish-gray,  with  narrow 
black  shaft  lines ;  nape  somewhat  streaked  with  white ;  head,  dusky ;  under 
parts,  white  finely  vermiculated  with  gray  and  with  black  shaft  lines ;  under  tail- 
coverts,  white ;  tail,  gray,  obscurely  banded  with  dusky. 

Young  in  first  year. — Brown  above,  spotted  and  edged  with  buff;  head  and 
neck  with  buff  streaks ;  under  parts,  white  or  pale  buff,  streaked  all  over  with 
brown;  tail  broadly  barred  with  brown  and  buff. 

A  rare  winter  visitant  from  the  north. 

In  some  years  the  Goshawk  is  rather  plentiful,  but  generally  it  is 
rare  or  absent.  The  winter  of  1895-6  was  a  notable  one  for  Goshawks, 
even  as  early  as  November.  They  were  also  plentiful  in  1906,  occur- 
ring as  far  south  as  Cape  May  Point. 

This,  like  its  close  relatives,  the  Sharp-shinned  and  Cooper's  Hawks, 
is  a  destructive  species. 

337     Buteo  borealis   (Gmelin). 
Red-tailed  Hawk. 

PLATE    31. 

Adults. — Length,  male,  19-22;  female,  23-25.  Wing,  14-17.  Upper  parts, 
dark  brown,  edged  with  grayish,  buff  and  white ;  wing-coverts,  uniform ;  under 
parts,  white,  streaked  across  the  abdomen  with  brown ;  sides  of  neck  and  body 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  163 

more  or  less  streaked  with  brown  or  rufous ;  tail,  bright  rufous,  with  a  dusky 
subterminal  band. 

Young  in  first  year. — Similar,  but  tail  brown,  barred  with  dusky;  under 
surface  with  more  brown  streaks,  but  no  rufous. 

Nest  in  tall  trees ;  eggs,  two  to  four,  dirty  white,  slightly  marked  with  rusty 
brown,  2.35  x  1.80. 

Common  resident,  but  most  abundant  in  winter  and  during  mi- 
grations. 

This  is  the  common  large  hawk  of  the  Delaware  meadows  during 
the  winter,  and  like  its  relatives,  the  Red-shouldered  and  Broad- 
winged  Hawks,  it  is  a  valuable  bird  to  the  farmer,  destroying  thou- 
sands of  meadow  mice  in  winter  and  grasshoppers  in  summer. 

Hawks  of  this  and  various  other  kinds  often  associate  in  large 
straggling  flocks  during  the  autumn  migrations.1 


339     Buteo  lineatus   (Gmelin). 
Red-shouldered  Hawk. 

Adults. — Length,  17.50-21.  Wing,  12-14.  Above,  dark  brown,  edged  with 
grayish,  buff  and  white ;  lesser  wing-coverts  strongly  edged  with  rufous ;  under 
parts,  rufous,  with  narrow  white  crossbars;  throat,  whitish,  streaked  with 
dusky;  crissum,  white;  tail,  dark  brown,  with  distinct,  rather  narrow  white 
crossbars. 

Young  in  first  year. — Very  similar  to  young  of  the  Red-tail,  but  usually  more 
regularly  streaked  below,  and  always  identified  by  the  white  spots  on  the  outer 
edge  of  the  outermost  primary,  which  is  uniform  brown  in  the  Red-tail. 

Nest  in  tall  trees ;  eggs,  three  to  five,  dirty  white,  blotched  or  streaked  with 
rusty  brown  or  chocolate,  2.15  x  1.75. 

Common  resident,  but  apparently  a  more  common  breeder  in  the 
northern  half  of  the  State. 

Habits  similar  to  those  of  the  Red-tailed  Hawk,  which  it  very 
closely  resembles  during  the  first  year. 

1  Cf.  Cassinia,  1904,  p.  65;  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  III.,  p.  11;  Forest  and 
Stream,  1893,  p.  513 ;  Amer.  Nat.,  VIII.,  p.  338. 


164        REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

343     Buteo  platypterus   (Vieillot). 
Broad-winged  Hawk. 

Adults. — Length,  14-18.  Wing,  10-11.50.  Above,  dark  brown,  edged  with 
buff  and  gray ;  lower  parts,  white,  heavily  barred  with  buffy-brown  ;  tail,  dark 
brown,  with  two  bars  and  a  terminal  band  of  gray. 

Young  in  first  year. — Similar,  but  under  parts  white,  somewhat  tinged  with 
buff,  and  streaked  with  brown ;  tail,  grayish,  with  indistinct  dusky  bars  and  a 
light  tip.  Easily  recognized  from  the  Red-tail  and  Red-shouldered  Hawk  by 
its  smaller  size  and  the  fact  that  only  three  instead  of  four  outer  primaries  are 
notched  on  the  inner  web. 

Nest  in  trees ;  eggs,  two  to  four,  dirty  white,  blotched  with  rusty  brown  or 
ochraceous,  1.90  x  1.55. 

A  resident  species  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State  and  summer 
resident  in  the  north,  but  nowhere  common  in  the  winter  and  not 
as  abundant  as  the  Red-shouldered  Hawk  in  summer. 

347a     Archibuteo   lagopus  sanctijohannis    (Gmelin). 
Rough-legged  Hawk. 

Adults.— Length,  20-23.  Wing,  16-18.  Above,  dark  brown,  edged  with  white 
or  buff ;  tail,  white  or  buff  at  the  base,  and  with  several  light  bars ;  under 
parts,  buffy-white,  spotted  with  black,  spots  often  confluent  on  the  belly ;  some- 
times the  entire  plumage  is  black  except  the  bars  on  the  wings  and  tail. 

Young  in  first  year. — Browner,  without  bands  on  the  tail. 

Distinguished  in  all  plumages  from  all  our  other  hawks  by  having  the  tarsus 
feathered  all  the  way  to  the  toes. 

Winter  visitant  from  the  north,  but  usually  not  common  and  not 
uniformally  distributed,  apparently  much  more  plentiful  on  the  Dela- 
ware meadows  than  elsewhere.  Some  entirely  black  individuals 
were  formerly  shot  every  year,  but  such  birds  are  now  rarely  seen. 
The  Rough-leg  seems  to  be  rare  on  the  coast,  but  a  specimen  was  shot 
at  West  Creek,  Ocean  county,  March  8th,  1909. 

Meadow  mice  constitute  almost  the  entire  food  of  this  Hawk  while 
it  is  with  us. 

349     Aquila  chrysaetos  (Linnaeus). 
Golden  Eagle. 

Adults. — Length,  male,  30-35;  female,  35-40.  Wing,  male,  23-24;  female, 
25-27.  Entire  plumage,  brown,  except  the  back  of  the  head  and  tarsi,  which 
are  more  or  less  buff  or  tawny,  and  the  tail,  which  is  somewhat  streaked  with 
gray. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  165 

Young  birds  have  the  basal  half  of  the  tail  and  the  tarsi  white. 
Distinguished  at  all  times  from  the  Bald  Eagle  by  the  fact  that  the  feathering 
on  the  tarsus  extends  to  the  toes. 

Rare  and  irregular  visitant.  The  following  specimens  have  been 
captured  in  the  State: 

Vinelarid;   February,  19th,  1868.    In  collection  John  H.  Sage.1 

Rocky  Hill,  near  Princeton;  March,  1881.  Collection  Wm.  C. 
Osborn.2 

Crosswicks  Creek;  autumn,  1888.    W.  E.  Daw.3 

Cape  May;   October  20th,  1892.    J.  Milford.4 

New  Egypt;  1893.    Collection  of  C.  A.  Voelker.5 

Long  Branch;  August,  1897;  caught  alive.6 

Moorestown;  November  8th,  1901.  Collection  Moorestown  Nat. 
Hist.  Soc.7 

352     Haiiaeetus  leucocephalus   (Linnaeus). 
Bald  Eagle. 

PLATE  32. 

Adults. — Length,  male,  30-35;  female,  34-43.  Wing,  male,  20-25;  female, 
24-28.  Head,  neck  and  tail,  pure  white ;  remainder  of  plumage,  dark  brown ; 
bill  and  feet,  yellow. 

Young  birds. — Entire  plumage,  dark  brown,  more  or  less  edged  with  white; 
tail,  brown,  somewhat  mottled  with  white ;  bill,  black. 

Nest  in  tall  tree ;    eggs,  two,  dull  white,  2.75  x  2.10. 

Resident  in  the  ^  southern  part  of  the  State,  but  much  rarer  than 
formerly.  Of  irregular  occurrence  elsewhere. 

The  Bald  Eagle  formerly  nested  regularly  about  Beesley's  Point, 
where  Wilson  observed  it  about  1808.  He  describes  how  his  friend 
and  companion,  George  Ord,  then  a  young  man,  climbed  up  to  one  of 
the  nests  only  to  find  it  empty. 


1  J.  H.  Sage,  Auk,  1895,  p.  179. 

2  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  48. 

3  Dr.  W.  C.  Braislin,  Auk,  1896,  p.  81. 

4  C.  A.  Voelker,  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  II.,  p.  6. 

5  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  88. 
9  F.  M.  Chapman,  Auk,  1898,  p.  54. 

7  W.  B.  Evans,  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  51. 


166   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

In  1892  I  saw  young  birds  that  had  been  taken  from  a  nest  in 
Timber  and  Beaver  Swamp,  Cape  May  county,  and  Mr.  W.  B.  Crispin 
has  found  several  nests  in  Salem  county.  One  contained  eggs  March 
5th,  1905,  and  another  February  27th.1 

Back  of  West  Creek  and  Tuckerton,  at  a  location  known  as  "Eagles- 
wood,"  these  birds  have  long  been  of  frequent  occurrence,  and  un- 
doubtedly nest,  but  the  wanton  killing  of  them  is  rapidly  causing  their 
extermination. 

Now  and  then  an  Eagle  may  be  seen  flying  high  overhead  in  various 
parts  of  the  State,  and  specimens  have  been  shot  at  Princeton,  Had- 
donfield,  etc. 

Family  FALCONID^. 
THE  FALCONS. 

356     Falco  peregrinus  anatum  (Bonaparte). 
Duck  Hawk. 

Adults. — Length,  male,  16-18  ;  female,  18-20.  Wing,  male,  11.50-13  ;  female, 
13-14.50.  Dark  plumbeous  above,  with  buff  bars  on  the  primaries,  and  obscure 
black  bars  on  the  tail ;  tip  of  tail,  white ;  below,  buff,  streaked  or  spotted  with 
black  on  the  sides. 

Young  in  first  year. — Upper  parts,  brown,  edged  with  rusty  or  buff ;  below, 
deep  buff,  streaked  with  brown. 

Nest  merely  a  ledge  of  rock;  eggs,  three  to  four,  cream  or  reddish-buff, 
thickly  marked  with  brown  of  several  shades,  2.05  x  1.55. 

The  Duck  Hawk  is  a  tolerably  common  transient  visitant,  and  occa- 
sionally remains  through  the  winter  in  the  southern  counties.  It 
breeds  on  the  Palisades  of  the  Hudson,2  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
State,  and  on  the  Nockamixon  Cliffs  on  the  Pennsylvania  side  of  the 
Delaware. 

While  Duck  Hawks  feed  mainly  upon  other  birds,  they  confine  their 
attention  for  the  most  part  to  water  birds,  and  seldom  visit  the  poultry 
yard.  The  statement  made  by  George  Ord,  and  copied  by  others,  to 
the  effect  that  this  bird  nested  in  the  cedar  swamps  of  South  Jersey, 
was  evidently  hearsay  and  quite  erroneous,  as  he  adds  that  'he  and 
Wilson  were  unable  to  find  a  nest. 

1  Cf.  also,  E.  J.  Darlington,  Oologist,  1906,  p.  106. 

2  Cf.  Wm.  P.  Lemmon,  Osprey,  IV.,  p.  42. 


THE  BIEDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  167 

357     Falco  columbarius  Linnaeus. 
Pigeon  Hawk. 

Adults. — Length,  male,  10-11;  female,  12-13.  Wing,  male,  7.50;  female, 
8.50.  Above,  bluish-slate,  with  black  shaft  streaks;  tail,  black,  tipped  with 
white  and  barred  with  gray ;  wings,  black,  with  white  bars  on  inner  webs ; 
bases  of  feathers  on  the  hind  neck,  white  and  buff ;  under  parts,  buff,  whiter 
on  breast  and  throat;  everywhere  streaked  with  black. 

Young  in  first  year. — Brown  above,  with  tail  and  wing  markings  buff ;  under 
parts,  deep  buff,  streaked  with  blackish-brown. 

A  rather  common  transient  visitant,  most  frequent  along  the  coast. 
In  southern  New  Jersey  it  is  a  casual  winter  resident. 

It  has  been  observed  as  late  as  April  21st,  and  as  early  as  September 
14th. 

Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  has  mentioned  this  species  as  breeding  near  Tren- 
ton, but  there  is  no  confirmation  in  the  experience  of  others,  nor  has 
its  nest  been  found  nearer  than  the  mountainous  parts  of  northern 
New  York,  so  far  as  I  am  aware. 


360     Falco   sparverius  Linnaeus. 
Sparrow  Hawk. 

PLATE  33. 

Adults. — Length,  male,  9-10.50;  female,  9.50-12.  Wing,  6.60-8.10.  Crown, 
blue-gray,  with  rufous  center ;  wing  feathers,  black,  with  white  bars ;  coverts, 
blue-gray,  spotted  with  black ;  back  and  scapulars,  rufous  chestnut,  barred  with 
black ;  rump  and  tail,  rufous  chestnut,  with  a  broad  black  subterminal  band 
and  gray  tip ;  lateral  feathers,  barred  gray  and  black ;  under  parts,  buff,  be- 
coming white  on  throat  and  abdomen,  more  or  less  spotted  with  black  on  the 
sides  and  breast ;  sides  of  face,  white,  with  two  vertical  black  bars. 

Adult  female. — Head  like  the  male;  upper  parts,  including  the  tail,  chestnut 
rufous,  barred  with  black ;  wings,  black,  with  rufous  bars ;  under  parts,  white, 
tinge"d  with  buff  and  streaked,  except  on  the  throat  and  flanks,  with  light  brown. 

Young. — Similar  to  adults. 

Nest  in  a  hollow  tree ;  eggs,  four  to  five,  cream,  spotted  with  reddish-brown, 
1.35  x  1.10. 

A  common  resident  still  more  common  during  migrations. 

One  of  our  most  familiar  hawks,  nesting  in  hollow  trees  or  old 
Woodpeckers5  nests.  In  summer  it  may  be  seen  hovering  over  the 
fields  catching  grasshoppers  and  field  mice,  which  constitute  the  bulk 
of  its  food. 


168        REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Family   PANDIONID^l. 

THE  FISH  HAWKS. 

364     Pandion  haliaetus  carolinensis  (Gmelin). 
Osprey.     Fish  Hawk. 

Adult  male. — Length,  21-25.  Wing,  17-21.  Above,  grayish-brown;  tail 
barred  with  dusky  and  tipped  with  white;  head,  neck  and  under  parts,  white, 
a  dusky  stripe  on  the  side  of  the  head  and  some  dusky  feathers  on  the  crown ; 
sometimes  with  spots  or  blotches  of  brown  on  the  breast. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  breast  always  with  brown  spots. 

Young  in  first  year  with  light  edgings  to  the  feathers  of  the  upper  parts. 

Nest  very  bulky,  of  sticks,  etc.,  in  a  tree  top ;  eggs,  two  or  three,  cream 
blotched  with  chestnut-brown,  2.40  x  1.80. 

Formerly  an  abundant  summer  resident  along  the  sea  coast  and 
Delaware  Bay,  March  20th  to  November.,  but  of  late  years  greatly  re- 
duced in  numbers,  though  still  a  familiar  bird  along  the  coast. 

The  enormous  nest,  occupying  the  top  of  some  dead  tree,  is  a 
familiar  sight.  Often  both  birds  are  perched  upon  it  and  perhaps 
we  can  see  the  heads  of  the  young  also.  The  old  bird,  when  disturbed, 
utters  its  peculiar  whistling  cry  quite  unlike  most  hawk  calls.  The 
Fish  Hawks  are  fearless  birds,  nesting  close  to  houses  and  even  on 
platforms  built  for  their  use  on  poles  planted  in  the  farmer's  fields,  or 
on  telegraph  poles.  They  often  make  use  of  very  low  trees,  and  in 
some  instances — though  not  in  New  Jersey,  so  far  as  I  am  aware — 
nest  on  the  ground. 

They  fly  out  over  the  bay  or  ocean  in  search  of  their  prey,  and 
diving  from  considerable  altitudes,  come  up  with  the  fish  wriggling 
in  their  talons.  When  Bald  Eagles  were  more  abundant  along  the 
coast  many  a  Fish  Hawk  was  pursued  and  compelled  to  drop  his  prey 
so  that  the  Eagle  might  grasp  it  and  carry  it  off.  The  Fish  Hawk 
never  attempts  to  pick  up  a  fish  that  he  has  dropped  but  goes  patiently 
back  to  the  sea  and  catches  another.  The  birds  are  now  most  abundant 
along  the  northern  coast  of  New  Jersey  where  they  have  always  been 
carefully  protected  and  on  the  mainland  of  the  Cape  May  peninsula. 
On  the  coast  islands  the  persecution  of  egg  collectors  and  the  spread 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  169 

of  the  resorts  has  almost  exterminated  them.  Mr.  C.  S.  Shick1  writes 
that  in  1884  fully  one  hundred  pairs  nested  on  Seven  Mile  Beach, 
while  in  1890  not  a  quarter  of  that  number  remained.  To-day  I  may 
add  that  I  believe  there  are  none  nesting  on  the  island  at  all.  Mr. 
Crispin  tells  me  they  are  still  fairly  abundant  breeders  in  Salem 
county.  Inland  they  occur  as  casual  visitors  during  summer. 


Family   ALUCONIDJE. 

THE  BARN  OWLS. 

The  Barn  Owl  is  distinguished  from  the  other  species  by  its  nearly 
bare  tarsi,  which  in  our  other  Owls  are  feathered.  It  also  has  the 
inner  toe  as  long  as  the  middle  one,  while  the  inner  edge  of  the  middle 
claw  is  pectinated. 

365    Aluco  pratincola  (Bonaparte). 
Barn  Owl. 

Adults. — Length,  21-25.  Wing,  17-21.  Above,  ochraceous  rufous,  overlaid 
with  gray  and  minutely  spotted  with  black  and  white ;  tail,  whiter ;  under 
parts,  white  or  buff ;  face,  white,  with  a  chestnut  spot  near  the  eye ;  wing  and 
tail  feathers  obscurely  barred. 

Nest  in  a  hollow  tree  or  similar  cavity ;    eggs,  four  to  six,  white,  1.70  x  1.30. 

Rather  common  resident  through  the  southern  half  of  the  State; 
less  plentiful  northward,  where  it  has  been  found  breeding  at  Prince- 
ton (Babson),2  Plainfield  (Miller),  Summit  (Holmes).3  A  specimen 
was  taken  by  Dr.  J.  Dwight,  Jr.,  at  Chatham,  November  8th,  1890,4 
and  Mr.  F.  M.  Chapman5  records  its  presence  at  Englewood  on  several 
occasions,  while  Thurber  records  two  shot  at  Whippany,  Morris 
county. 

1  Auk,  1890,  p.  328.    Cf.  also,  Shick,  Bay  State  Oologist,  I.,  No.  2,  pp.  13-15 ; 
Norris,  O.  and  O.,  1891,  p.  162 ;    Wheeler,  Oologist,  1888,  p.  147 ;    "Old  Salt," 
Oologist,  1886,  p.  49. 

2  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  50. 

3  Wilson,  Bulletin,  1905,  p.  9. 

4  Abst.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  IV.,  p.  3. 
3  Auk,  1886,  p.  485  ;    1889,  p.  303. 


170   KEPOKT  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

The  Barn  Owls  are  "at  home"  in  some  spacious  hollow  tree,  or  in 
some  steeple  or  barn  that  offers  an  interior  shelter  and  a  hole  for 
entrance.  Here  the  pair  rest  during  the  day,  and  start  out  at  dusk  to 
scour  the  meadows  for  mice  of  all  sorts,  which  constitute  their  food, 
and  often  we  find  a  supply  of  these  rodents  laid  away  in  the  nest  hole. 
The  eggs  are  often  laid  at  considerable  intervals,  and  young  of  various 
sizes  may  be  found  in  the  same  nest. 


Family   STRIGID-ffi. 

THE  HORNED  OWLS,  ETC. 

Owls,  like  Hawks,  are  for  the  most  part  very  beneficial  as  destroyers 
of  mice.  Only  one  species,  the  Great  Horned  Owl,  ever  raids  the 
poultry  yard. 

The  Owls  are  nocturnal  birds  of  prey  resembling  the  Hawks  in 
many  ways,  but  probably  more  intimately  related  to  the  Picarian 
stock  from  which  have  come  the  Goatsuckers,  Parrots,  etc.  They  have 
flat  faces  with  large  eyes  directed  forwards,  the  face  surrounded  by  a 
"ruff"  and  often  with  two  ear-like  tufts  on  the  top  of  the  head,  that 
of  course  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  ears,  which  are  large  openings 
located  just  behind  the  eyes. 

a.  Wing,  14.50-18. 

I.  Wing,  14.50-16 ;  plumage  brown,  mottled  with  buff,  rusty  and  white. 

GREAT  HORNED  OWL,  p.  174 
66.  Wing,  16-18;    plumage  gray,  mottled  with  dusky. 

GREAT  GRAY  OWL,  p.  173 

666.  Wing,  17.30-18.70 ;    plumage  white,  more  or  less  barred  with  dusky. 

SNOWY  OWL,  p.  175 
aa.  Wing,  11.50-14. 

6.  Breast  barred,  belly  streaked  with  dusky.  BARRED  OWL,  p.  172 

66.  Breast  streaked,  belly  barred  with  dusky.     LONG-EARED  OWL,  p.  171 
666.  Entire  under  parts  buff,  streaked  with  dusky. 

SHORT-EARED  OWL,  p.  171 

aw.  Wing,  9 ;   tail  long  and  pointed.  HAWK  OWL,  p.  175 

aaaa.  Wing,  5.25-7.10. 

6.  Wing  over  6,  horned.  SCREECH  OWL,  p.  174 

66.  Wing  under  6,  not  horned.  SAW-WHET  OWL,  p.  173 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  171 

366     Asio  wilsonianus   (Lesson). 
Long-eared  Owl. 

Adults. — Length,  13-16.  Wing,  12.  Upper  parts,  brown,  vermiculated  with 
white  and  varied  more  or  less  with  rufous  or  buff;  "ear  tufts"  prominent; 
under  surface,  buffy-white,  streaked  and  mottled  with  brown;  face,  rufous, 
black  around  the  eyes ;  throat,  white ;  wing-coverts  spotted  with  white ;  tail 
and  wing  quills  barred  with  brown. 

Nest  usually  an  old  nest  of  a  Hawk  or  Crow;  eggs,  four  to  seven,  white, 
1.55  xl.35. 

A  resident,  though  somewhat  irregular  in  its  distribution,  and  often 
much  more  common  in  winter. 

Their  nests  have  been  found  at  Plainfield  and  New  Providence 
(Callender)  late  in  May,  and  as  far  south  as  Salem  (Crispin),  on 
March  21st,  1908;  also  at  Princeton  (Babson). 

At  Yardville  Miss  Rachel  Allinson  writes  me  that  a  colony  of  Long- 
eared  Owls  roosted  in  the  evergreens  in  her  yard  regularly  from  the 
winter  of  1902-3  to  that  of  1905-6,  and  sometimes  individuals  re- 
mained as  late  as  May  29th.  Mr.  Babson  records  a  similar  gathering 
at  Princeton.1 

367     Asio  flammeus  (Pontoppidan). 
Short-eared  Owl. 

Adults.— Length,  14-16.50.  Wing,  12-13.  Upper  parts  striped  with  buff  and 
dark  brown  ;  wing  quills  with  white  spots ;  tail,  barred  ;  under  parts,  white  or 
buff,  streaked  with  brown ;  face,  whitish  or  buff ;  eye  region,  black. 

Nest  on  the  ground  in  marshy  localities ;    eggs,  four  to  seven,  1.55  x  1.25. 

This  bird  is  a  rather  common  winter  resident  in  open  meadows  or 
marshes,  October  to  March,  generally  occurring  in  colonies,  the  in- 
dividuals roosting  close  together  among  the  grass.  Mr.  W.  E.  D. 
Scott2  reports  about  two  hundred  of  these  Owls  at  Harlingin  Station, 
near  Princeton,  in  1878-9.  Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads  found  a  colony  on  the 
marshes  near  Tuckerton  in  the  winter  of  1893-4,  and  I  have  several 
times  seen  them  on  the  Delaware  meadows.  I  know  of  but  three 
definite  records  of  nests  in  the  State.  One  with  six  eggs,  near 

1  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  50. 

2  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  83. 


172        REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Canton,  Salem  county,  May  9th,  1905,  found  by  W.  B.  Crispin ;  one 
at  Long  Beach,  June  28th,  1878,  by  W.  E.  D.  Scott,  and  another  set 
of  eggs  in  Mrs.  Drown's  collection  from  Beach  Haven. 

Dr.  Abbott  states,  in  his  Birds  of  Mercer  County,  that  he  has  fre- 
quently found  this  species  "breeding  in  hollow  trees  near  Trenton."1 
This  remarkable  statement  must  surely  refer  to  the  Barn  Owl,  es- 
pecially as  Dr.  Abbott  says  later,  "nests  usually  on  the  ground,  in  one 
instance  I  found  the  nest  in  a  huge  hollow  of  an  old  maple."2 


368     Strix  varia  Barton. 
Barred  Owl. 

Adults. — Length,  20-24.  Wing,  13-14.  Grayish-brown  above  barred  with 
white ;  face,  gray,  with  dusky  concentric  rings ;  below,  dull  grayish-white ; 
barred  on  breast ;  striped  on  abdomen  with  brown ;  bill,  yellow ;  eyes,  dark 
brown. 

Nest  usually  in  hollow  trees ;    eggs,  two  to  four,  white,  1.95  x  1.65. 

Resident  and  apparently  rather  more  plentiful  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  State. 

A  number  of  nests  have  been  taken  about  Summit  by  Messrs.  Hann 
and  Callender,  and  nests  are  found  at  Plainneld  (Miller),3  Mont- 
clair  (Green)4  and  Newton,  Sussex  county  (Phillip). 

At  Princeton  three  nests  have  been  found,5  and  at  Salem  Mr.  AV. 
W.  Justice,  Jr.,  got  a  nest  in  April,  1897,6  while  Mr.  C.  S.  Shick 
records  a  pair  of  birds  on  Seven  Mile  Beach,  May  10th,  1890,  which 
were  probably  breeding.7 

In  Camden  county  I  have  seen  it  most  frequently  in  winter. 


1  Naturalist's  Rambles  About  Home,  p.  468.     Cf.  also,  comment  in  Auk,  1885, 
p.  87. 

2  Birds  About  Us,  p.  180. 

3  Bird  Lore,  1907,  p.  173. 
*  Oologist,  1893,  p.  230. 

5  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  51. 

6  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  II.,  p.  24. 

7  Auk,  1890,  p.  328. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  173 

370     Scotlaptex  nebulosa  (Forster). 
Great  Gray  Owl. 

Adults. — Length,  25-30.  Wing,  16-18.  Brownish-gray,  mottled  with  white; 
face,  gray,  barred  with  black;  below,  grayish-white;  breast  streaked  and  ab- 
domen barred  with  brown  ;  bill  and  eyes,  yellow. 

Very  rare  straggler  in  winter.  Thurber  (1887)  records  one  shot 
near  Mendham  many  years  ago,  and  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  (1868)  states 
that  one  was  killed  in  Sussex  county  in  December,  1859.  I  know  of 
no  other  record  for  the  State. 

372     Cryptoglaux  acadica  (Grmelin). 
Saw-whet  Owl,  Acadian  Owl. 

Adults. — Length,  25-30.  Wing,  16-18.  Brown  above;  forehead  narrowly 
streaked  ;  back  and  wings  spotted  with  white ;  tail  with  several  narrow  white 
bars ;  under  parts,  white,  coarsely  streaked  with  reddish-brown ;  feet,  white ; 
face,  white ;  eye  ring  and  ear-coverts,  dusky. 

Winter  resident;  apparently  regular,  but  somewhat  variable  in 
abundance  or  local.  Mr.  Babson  records  but  two  at  Princeton  during 
his  experience,  but  in  the  winter  of  1878-9  Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott  took 
about  twenty-five,1  eighteen  between  December  1st  and  llth.2 

Our  records  for  South  Jersey  are  Cape  May,  December  1st,  1904 
(Hand) ;  Friendship,  December  20th,  1899  (W.  B.  Evans)  ;3  May's 
Landing,  December  2d  (S.  N.  Rhoads)  ;4  Cape  May  Point  (Spaeth) ; 
Haddonfield,  November  15th,  1907. 

This  is  our  smallest  Owl,  and  is  easily  overlooked. 

1  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  51. 

2  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  85. 

3  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  IV.,  p.  2. 

4  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  II.,  p.  7. 


174        REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

373     Otus  asio   (Linnaeus). 
Screech  Owl. 

PLATE   34. 

Adults. — Length,  8-10.  Wing,  6-7.  Two  phases — (1)  Bright  rufous  above 
with  black  shaft  lines,  and  scapulars  spotted  with  white ;  tail  and  wings  barred 
with  dusky ;  under  parts,  white,  streaked  with  black  and  rufous ;  feet  and  face, 
white.  (2)  Brownish-gray  above,  streaked  and  vermiculated  with  dusky  and 
buff;  scapulars  and  wing  feathers  spotted  with  white;  under  parts,  white, 
finely  barred  with  gray  and  coarsely  streaked  with  black. 

Young  in  first  summer  transversely  barred  above  and  below  with  gray,  white 
and  rufous. 

Nest  in  hollow  trees ;    eggs,  five  to  seven,  white,  1.35  x  1.20. 

Common  resident  throughout  the  State. 

This  is  our  most  abundant  and  most  familiar  Owl,  nesting  in  old 
orchards,  which  furnish  convenient  natural  hollows  or  old  Wood- 
peckers' nests.  At  dusk  they  frequently  fly  about  one's  head,  snapping 
their  bills,  and  their  hoot  is  familiar  to  all.  This  species  is  peculiar 
among  all  our  birds  in  exhibiting  two  phases  of  plumage  independent 
of  age,  sex  or  season.  Red  and  gray  birds  pair  indiscriminately,  and 
the  young  in  one  family  may  be  of  either  color. 

375     Bubo  virginianus   (Gmelin). 
Great  Horned  Owl. 

Adults. — Length,  male,  18-23;  female,  22-25.  Wing,  15-16.  Upper  parts 
finely  vermiculated  with  dark  brown  and  white,  the  former  predominating,  and 
more  or  less  varied  with  rufous ;  wings  with  broad  dusky  bars  ;  face,  rufescent ; 
throat,  white;  breast  rufescent,  with  large  black  blotches;  abdomen  barred 
with  white  and  dusky ;  feet,  buff ;  eyes,  yellow. 

Nest  usually  an  old  nest  of  a  Crow,  etc. ;   eggs,  two  to  four,  white,  2.25  x  1.85. 

A  rather  rare  resident.  Nests  have  been  found  at  Bay  Head,  Feb- 
ruary 23d, ,1907  (Hann);  at  Montclair,  March  14th,  1903  (Callen- 
der) ;  two  at  Princeton  (Babson),  and  one  pair  had  young  in  an  old 
Great  Blue  Heron's  nest  near  Salem  in  April,  1904  (Crispin). 

This  is  our  largest  Owl,  except  the  very  rare  Great  Gray  Owl,  and, 
unlike  all  our  other  species,  will  take  chickens  and  game  birds  when 
opportunity  offers. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  175 

376     Nyctea   nyctea    (Linnaeus). 
Snowy  Owl. 

Adults. — Length,  male,  20-23;  female,  23-27.  Wing,  16-17.  White,  some- 
what barred  above  and  below  with  dusky ;  female  more  heavily  barred  than  the 
male ;  eyes,  yellow. 

Irregular  winter  visitant,  occurring  some  seasons  in  considerable 
numbers. 

Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott  states  that  it  was  very  plentiful  in  the  winter  of 
1876-71  at  Long  Beach.  Several  were  obtained  in  1886-7  in  Morris 
county  (Thurber),  and  in  November,  1889,  a  number  occurred  in 
northern  New  Jersey.2 

Mr.  Laurent3  saw  one  at  Anglesea,  December  20th,  1890,  and  Mr. 
H.  W.  Hand  reports  a  pair  at  Cape  May,  November  26th,  1905,  one 
of  which  was  killed. 

377a    Surnia  ulula  caparoch  (Miiller). 
Hawk  Owl. 

Adults. — Length,  15-17.50.  Wing,  9.  Upper  parts,  dark  brown,  spotted 
with  white ;  upper  tail-coverts  and  tail  barred  with  white ;  lower  parts,  white ; 
breast,  abdomen,  sides  and  under  tail-coverts  regularly  barred  with  brown ; 
peculiar  in  its  long,  pointed  tail. 

A  very  rare  straggler  from  the  North  in  winter.  Only  two  records 
for  the  State,  both  given  by  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott.  One  bird  killed  in 
Mercer  county,  1858,  the  other  in  Middlesex  county,  in  1861. 

1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879. 

2Forster,  Forest  and  Stream,  November  28th,  1889. 

3  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  54. 


176   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Order  COCCYGES. 

Cuckoos  and  Kingfishers. 
Family   CUCULIDJE. 

THE  CUCKOOS. 

We  have  two  species  of  Cuckoos,  which  closely  resemble  one  an- 
other. Unlike  the  English  Cuckoo  they  build  nests  of  their  own  and 
hatch  their  own  young. 

a.  Inner  webs  of  wing  feathers  rufous,  outer  tail  feathers  with  conspicuous 

white  tips.  YELLOW-BILLED  CUCKOO,  p.  176 

aa.  Inner  webs  of  wing  feathers  not  rufous,  outer  tail  feathers  with  narrow 

inconspicuous  tips.  BLACK-BILLED  CUCKOO,  p.  177 

387     Coccyzus  americanus  (Linnaeus). 

Yellow-billed  Cuckoo. 

• 

PLATE   35. 

Adults. — Length,  11-12.50.  Wing,  5.60.  Above,  brownish-gray,  with  a  slight 
greenish  gloss ;  the  wing  feathers  mainly  rufous  on  the  inner  webs ;  three  outer 
tail  feathers,  black,  tipped  with  white;  under  parts,  grayish-white;  upper 
mandible,  black  ;  lower,  yellow. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  feathers  somewhat  edged  with  buff 
above. 

Nest  a  rather  loose  platform  of  twigs  with  a  thin  lining  of  grass,  usually  in 
the  lower  branches  of  a  tree  or  in  a  thick  bush ;  eggs,  three  to  five,  pale 
greenish-blue,  1.20  x  .90. 

Common  summer  resident;  arrives  May  3d  (May  9th),  departs 
October  15th. 

Although  apparently  generally  distributed  over  the  State  the 
Cuckoos  are  not  conspicuous  birds,  their  subdued  colors  and  habit  of 
concealing  themselves  in  the  thick  foliage  causes  them  to  be  over- 
looked 

Their  note  is  a  series  of  short  clucking  calls,  growing  louder  and 
less  rapid  and  ending  in  several  loud  syllables  "cow,  cow,  cow,  cow." 

The  birds  are  frequently  called  Eain  Crows,  from  the  idea  that 
their  calling  foretells  rain,  and  "Cow"  bird  from  their  note.  Unlike  the 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  177 

Cuckoos  of  Europe  they  are  not  parasitic,  but  always  construct  nests 
of  their  own. 

The  food  of  the  Cuckoos  consist  almost  exclusively  of  insects ;  some 
of  these  are  beetles,  bugs  and  grasshoppers,  but  almost  half  of  the 
entire  food  of  the  Cuckoo,  while  he  is  with  us,  consists  of  caterpillars, 
and,  after  careful  study  of  the  subject,  the  experts  of  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture  have  estimated  that  one  bird  devours  be- 
tween two  and  three  thousand  caterpillars  during  the  five  months  of 
his  stay. 

388     Coccyzus  erythrophthalmus  (Wilson). 
Black-billed  Cuckoo. 

Adults. — Length,  11-12.50.  Wing,  5.50.  Above,  grayish-brown,  with  a  slight 
greenish  gloss ;  wing  feathers  with  no  rufous  on  the  inner  webs ;  tail  like  the 
back,  with  a  very  narrow  white  tip  and  subterminal  dusky  band  on  all  but  the 
middle  pair ;  bill  entirely  black ;  under  parts,  grayish-white. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  feathers  slightly  edged  with  buff  above. 

Nest  similar  to  that  of  the  preceding  species ;    eggs,  darker  blue,  1.15  x  .85. 

Eegular  summer  resident;  more  common  in  the  upper  half  of  the 
State.  Arrives  May  6th  (May  llth),  departs  October  15th. 

This  Cuckoo  is  similar  in  habits  and  notes  to  the  Yellow-billed  spe- 
cies, from  which  it  is  best  distinguished  by  the  lack  of  distinct  white 
tips  to  the  tail  feathers. 

Family  ALCEDINID-ffl. 

THE  KINGFISHERS. 
We  have  only  one  species  of  Kingfisher  in  Eastern  North  America. 

390     Ceryle  alcyon    (Linnaeus). 
Belted  Kingfisher. 

PLATE  36. 

Adult  male. — Length,  11-14.  Wing,  6.25.  Above,  bluish-gray,  everywhere 
spotted  or  barred  with  white ;  under  parts,  white,  extending  up  on  the  sides 
of  the  neck,  so  as  to  almost  meet  above ;  a  broad  breast  band  and  sides  of  the 
body  bluish-gray. 

12 


178   EEPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  sides,  as  well  as  an  additional  band  across  the 
belly,  rufous. 

Nest  a  horizontal  burrow  in  a  sand  bank  six  to  seven  feet  deep ;  eggs,  five  to 
seven,  pure  white,  1.35  x  1.05. 

Common  summer  resident,  or  rarely  resident.  It  has  been  reported 
in  winter  as  far  north  as  Plainfield  (Miller)  and  Morristown  (Thur- 
ber).1  Arrives  March  14th  (March  26th),  departs  November  1st. 

The  Kingfisher  is  a  conspicuous  bird  along  the  larger  streams,  as 
well  as  along  the  coast,  where  his  loud  rattling  call  may  be  heard  as 
he  flies  along  ahead  of  us,  alighting  now  and  then  on  some  dead  tree, 
post  or  telegraph  wire.  Mr.  C.  S.  Shick  (Auk,  1890,  p.  328)  states 
that  he  found  a  nest  in  a  hollow  stump  on  Seven  Mile  Beach,  which 
he  felt  sure  had  been  occupied  by  a  pair  of  Kingfishers  which  had 
frequented  the  vicinity  all  summer. 

The  food  of  these  birds  consists  entirely  of  fish,  which  they  catch  in 
their  powerful  bills,  diving  into  the  water  in  pursuit  of  their  prey. 


Order  PICI. 

Family   PIGIDM. 

THE  WOODPECKERS. 

The  peculiarities  of  Woodpeckers  are  (1)  their  habit  of  perching 
against  the  upright  trunks  of  trees,  for  which  purpose  their  tail 
feathers  are  stiffened  and  sharp-pointed;  (2)  their  strong  chisel-like 
bill  and  powerful  barbed  tongue,  with  which  they  dig  into  the  wood 
after  boring  insects  or  carve  out  their  nest  cavities;  (3)  their  peculiar 
arrangement  of  toes,  two  being  directed  forward  and  two  backward, 
a  condition  found  among  our  other  birds  only  in  the  Cuckoos. 

a.  Wing  over  9.  PILEATED  WOODPECKER,  p.  182 

aa.  Wing  under  7. 

6.  Under  side  of  wing  and  tail  and  quills  yellow.  FLICKER,  p.  184 

6&.  Wing,  tail  and  quills  not  yellow. 
c.  More  or  less  red  on  the  throat. 

d.  Entire  head  red,  rest  of  under  parts  white. 

RED-HEADED  WOODPECKER,  p.  183 

dd.  Throat  and  crown  more  or  less  red,  breast  black,  belly  yel- 
lowish. YELLOW-BELLIED  SAPSUCKER,  p.  181 


O.  and  O.,  XI.,  p.  91. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JEESEY.  179 


cc.  No  red  on  the  throat. 

d.  Breast  black,  throat  white. 

YELLOW-BELLIED  SAPSUCKEB  (female),  p.  181 
dd.  Breast  and  throat  brown  or  dusky,  more  or  less  obscurely 
mottled. 

e.  Rump  white.     RED-HEADED  WOODPECKER  (young),  p.  183 
ee.  Rump  barred. 

YELLOW-BELLIED  WOODPECKER  (young),  p.  181 
ddd.  Lower  surface  uniform  gray,  belly  slightly  red. 

RED-BELLIED  WOODPECKER,  p.  184 
dddd.  Lower  parts  white  or  grayish-white. 
e.  Back  striped  longitudinally. 

f.  Wing,  3.75.  DOWNY  WOODPECKER,  p.  179 

if.  Wing,  4.75.  HAIRY  WOODPECKER,  p.  179 

ee.  Back  barred.  RED-COCKADED  WOODPECKER,  p.  180 


393     Dryobates  villosus  (Linnaeus). 
Hairy  Woodpecker. 

Adult  male. — Length,  8.50-9.  Wing,  4.75.  Coloration  essentially  like  the 
Downy  Woodpecker,  except  that  the  three  outer  tail  feathers  are  white,  with 
some  black  on  the  inner  webs  near  the  base,  but  no  bars. 

Adult  female  and  young  differ,  as  in  the  Downy  Woodpecker. 

Nest  in  a  dead  tree  trunk ;    eggs,  four  to  six,  glossy  white,  .95  x  .70. 

Regular  resident,  less  abundant  than  the  Downy  Woodpecker,  and 
much  less  frequently  seen  about  dwellings,  being  more  or  less  a  bird  of 
the  forest. 

Similar  in  habits  and  food  to  the  Downy  Woodpecker.  Its  note  is 
louder. 

394     Dryobates  pubescens  medianus   (Swainson). 
Downy  Woodpecker. 

PLATE  37. 

Adult  male. — Length,  6.50-7.  Wing,  3.70.  Above,  black ;  nostril  tufts  and 
stripe  over  each  eye,  white ;  a  white  spot  on  each  side  of  the  neck,  running  in 
a  narrow  stripe  to  the  base  of  the  bill ;  a  broad  white  stripe  down  the  back ; 
wings  spotted  with  white ;  three  outer  tail  feathers,  white,  barred  with  black ; 
a  scarlet  crescent  on  the  hind  neck ;  under  parts,  dull  white. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  without  the  scarlet  on  the  hind  neck. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar  to  the  adult  female,  but  head  somewhat 
mottled  with  white  or  red. 

Nest  in  a  dead  tree  trunk ;    eggs,  four  to  six,  glossy  white,  .75  x  .60. 


180   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Resident  and  universally  distributed. 

This,  our  commonest  Woodpecker,  excepting  only  the  Flicker,  is  a 
familiar  inhabitant  of  our  orchards  and  woodlands,  hewing  out  its 
nest,  after  the  manner  of  its  kind,  in  some  dead  tree  trunk,  and  later 
piloting  its  speckled  family  about  from  tree  to  tree,  digging  out  the 
insects  which  lurk  under  the  bark  and  in  the  rotten  wood. 

In  winter  it  is.,  perhaps,  more  conspicuous  than  in  summer,  and 
comes  closer  to  our  dwellings,  even  pecking  at  the  suet  that  we  have 
fastened  up  in  the  tree  for  our  winter  bird  friends. 

The  note  of  the  Downy  is  a  sharp  metallic  "pink,  pink,"  often 
rapidly  repeated  in  a  rattling  cry,  and  quite  as  characteristic  is  the 
"roll"  which  he  beats  with  his  bill  on  some  hollow  limb,  and  which 
can  be  heard  at  long  distances  through  the  silent  wood. 

The  reports  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  show 
that  seventy-four  per  cent,  of  the  food  of  this  Woodpecker  is  composed 
of  insects,  largely  beetles,  while  the  twenty-five  per  cent,  is  vegetable 
matter — seeds  and  berries — taken  largely  during  the  winter  when  in- 
sects are  scarce. 

395     Dryobates  borealis   (Vieillot). 
Red-cockaded  Woodpecker. 

Adult  male. — Length,  8.40.  Wing,  4.65.  Above,  barred  with  black  and  white ; 
crown,  black,  with  a  small  spot  of  bright  'red  on  each  side  at  the  back  of  the 
head ;  a  black  stripe  from  the  base  of  the  bill  to  the  shoulder ;  under  parts, 
white ;  sides  and  under  tail-coverts  streaked  or  spotted  with  black. 

Female. — Similar,  but  without  red  on  the  head. 

This  southern  species  is  given  as  rare  in  TurnbulPs  List  (1869), 
but  whether  it  occurred  in  New  Jersey  or  Pennsylvania  is  not  speci- 
fied. Audubon  gives  its  range  as  from  Texas  to  New  Jersey,  but  no 
details  are  furnished.  Bonaparte  did  not  know  it  from  north  of  Vir- 
ginia, nor  Wilson  from  north  of  North  Carolina.  In  fact  the  only 
positive  evidence  that  we  have  of  its  occurrence  in  New  Jersey  is  one 
specimen  in  the  collection  of  Mr.  George  N.  Lawrence,  taken  at 
Hoboken.1 

1  Lawrence,  Ann.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist.,  N.  Y.,  VIII.,  1867,  p.  201. 


THE  BIRDS  OP  XEW  JERSEY.  181 

402     Sphyrapicus  varius   (Linnaeus). 
Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker. 

Adult  male. — Length,  7.75-8.75.  Wing,  4.90.  Above,  irregularly  mottled 
with  blue-black  and  yellowish-white;  crown  of  head,  crimson  red,  bordered  by 
blue-black  behind;  wings,  blue-black,  coverts  largely  white,  forming  a  longi- 
tudinal stripe  ;  primaries  and  secondaries  barred  with  white ;  tail,  black,  middle 
feathers  largely  white  on  inner  webs ;  outer  ones  narrowly  edged  with  white ; 
under  parts,  yellowish-white;  throat,  crimson,  bordered  with  black  on  the 
sides  and  with  a  large  black  breast  patch  below  ;  sides  streaked  with  dusky ; 
a  white  band  from  the  nostrils  down  the  side  of  the  neck  and  another  from  over 
the  eye  around  the  hind  neck. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  crown  glossy  blue-black  and  throat  white. 

Young  in  first  summer  and  autumn. — Similar,  but  duller,  more  brown  above ; 
under  parts,  dull  brown,  indistinctly  barred  with  dusky ;  males  soon  show  scat- 
tered red  feathers  on  the  crown,  and  acquire  the  full  plumage  late  in  winter  or 
early  in  spring. 

Common  transient.  In  spring,  March  9th  to  April  12th;  in  autumn, 
September  10th  to  October  20th.  Occasional  winter  resident.  Plain- 
field  (Miller),  Summit  (Holmes),  Haddonfield  (Stone),  Newfield 
(Paschall),  etc. 

This  species  is  unlike  any  of  our  other  Woodpeckers,  a  true  "Sap- 
sucker,"  and  the  regular  girdles  of  small  holes,  which  we  not  infre- 
quently find,  especially  upon  the  fruit  trees,  are  his  work.  From  these 
holes  he  is  enabled  to  drink  abundantly  of  the  sweet  sap,  but  insects, 
as  is  usual  with  the  Woodpeckers,  form  the  bulk  of  his  food ;  these  he 
catches  in  the  usual  manner,  or  picks  them  up  as  they  approach  his 
sap  holes,  or  again  sails  out  after  the  manner  of  a  flycatcher  and 
catches  them  on  the  wing.  The  note  of  the  Sapsucker  is  weaker  than 
that  of  the  Downy  Woodpecker.  Like  other  Woodpeckers  the  young  of 
this  species  migrate  southward  while  still  in  the  "Juvenal"  or  first  sum- 
mer plumage  and  where  they  happen  to  remain  all  winter  or  late  in 
the  autumn,  it  is  possible  to  note  the  acquirement  of  the  brilliant  red 
or  white  marks  of  the  adult. 

Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott  took  a  specimen  at  Princeton,  October  21st, 
1876,  which  approaches  the  sub-species  nucJialis  of  the  west  which  has 
the  nape  red.  The  specimen  is  now  in  the  Princeton  University  Col- 
lection.1 


Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  53. 


182   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

405     Phloeotomus  pileatus  abieticola   (Bangs). 
Northern  Pileated  Woodpecker. 

Adult  male. — Length,  17-19.  Wing,  9-10.  Above,  blackish-brown;  head 
strongly  crested,  entirely  scarlet  above,  a  narrow  white  line  bordering  the  crest 
below,  and  another  white  stripe  from  the  nostril  down  the  side  of  the  neck ;  a 
scarlet  patch  at  the  base  of  the  bill ;  throat,  white  ;  rest  of  under  parts,  brown ; 
basal  half  of  wing  feathers,  white,  which  is  very  conspicuous  in  flight. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  red  restricted  to  the  hind  part  of  the  crest. 

Nest  in  a  tree  trunk ;    eggs,  white,  three  to  six,  1.30  x  1. 

Rare  or  accidental  visitant;  possibly  more  regular  in  the  extreme 
northwestern  part  of  the  State.  Formerly  generally  distributed. 

This  splendid  Woodpecker  disappears  everywhere  with  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  forest,,  and  although  the  southern  part  of  the  State  con- 
tains tracts  wild  enough  for  his  liking,  the  trees  there  are  now  too 
small  for  his  needs.  Two  specimens.,  taken  in  Cape  May  county  by 
Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott,  November  7th,  1878,  and  December  31st,  1878,  are 
in  the  collection  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  Philadelphia,1 
and  Mr.  Chapman2  records  one  taken  at  Englewood  in  1885  by  Mr. 
Jacob  Ullrich.2  Thurber  records  one  taken  at  Mountville,  Morris 
county,  and  Messrs.  H.  G.  Parker3  and  C.  S.  Shick4  saw  one  or  two  on 
Seven  Mile  Beach  in  1886.  On  March  25th,  1908,  Mr.  George  S. 
Morris  saw  one  of  these  birds  on  the  Egg  Harbor  River,  above  May's 
Landing,  which  is  our  latest  New  Jersey  record.  In  Captain  Bendire's 
Life  Histories  of  N.  A.  Birds,  Vol.  2,  p.  107,  is  a.  record  of  a  nest  on 
West  Creek,  Cumberland  county,  which  was  found  by  Messrs.  M.  L.  C. 
Wilde  and  J.  Harris  Reed,5  June  4th,  1893.  It  contained  young. 

1  Stone,  Auk,  1894,  p.  137. 

2  Auk,  1889,  p.  303. 

3  O.  and  O.,  XI.,  p.  140. 

4  Bay  State  Orn.,  I.,  No.  2,  p.  13. 

5  See,  also,  Wilde,  Atlantic  Slope  Nat.,  I.,  p.  27. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  183 

406     Melanerpes  erythrocephalus   (Linnaeus). 
Red-headed  Woodpecker. 

PLATE  38. 

Adult. — Length,  9.50.  Wing,  5.40.  Entire  head,  throat  and  upper  breast, 
bright  crimson  red  ;  back,  wings  and  tail,  glossy  blue-black ;  rump,  secondaries, 
tertials  and  tips  of  outer  tail  feathers,  white*;  lower  part  of  the  body,  white, 
with  a  wash  of  red  on  the  middle  of  the  abdomen. 

Young  in  first  summer  and  autumn. — Head,  grayish-brown,  finely  mottled 
with  dusky ;  back  barred  transversely  gray  and  blue-black ;  secondaries  and 
tertials,  white,  barred  with  black ;  under  parts,  dull  white ;  whole  throat  and 
breast  thickly  streaked  with  dusky. 

Nest  and  eggs  as  in  other  Woodpeckers ;    eggs,  1  x  .75. 

Local  summer  resident,  and  occasional  resident. 

This  beautiful  bird  is  rare  in  southern  New  Jersey,  and,  so  far  as  I 
am  aware,  is  never  found  in  the  pine  barrens.  Young  birds  have  been 
noted  occasionally  to  pass  the  winter  at  Haddonfield  (Rhoads), 
Moorestown  (Evans)  and  Yardville  (Allinson). 

I  saw  an  adult  May  7th,  1896,  north  of  Salem,  and  Mr.  W.  L. 
Baily  saw  another  at  Ocean  City  May  5th  of  the  same  year.  I  do  not 
recall  any  definite  record  of  its  breeding  south  of  Haddonfield,  and 
even  there  it  is  irregular.  Beesley  (1857),  gives  it  as  a  breeding 
species  in  Cape  May  county,  but  some  of  his  records  are  obviously 
erroneous. 

At  Princeton  Mr.  Babson1  states  that  a  few  years  ago  it  was  a  com- 
mon summer  resident,  and  not  infrequent  in  winter,  but  at  the  time 
he  wrote  (1901)  it  had  become  rare. 

In  the  northern  part  of  the  State  it  is  more  plentiful,  but  irregular. 
At  Paterson  Mr.  J.  H.  Clark  reports  it  as  an  irregular  but  rare  per- 
manent resident,  sometimes  tolerably  common  in  April  and  May. 
Nests  in  June,  preferring  telegraph  poles  along  some  retired  road. 
Mr.  W.  D.  W.  Miller  regards  it  as  rather  rare  at  Plainfield,  but  some- 
times common  in  fall.  In  the  Passaic  Valley,  Great  Swamp  region 
and  on  the  Raritan  it  is  more  plentiful.2  Messrs.  H.  H.  Hann  and 
J.  P.  Callender  have  found  it  nesting  at  Chatham,  Hanover  and  Sum- 
mit, but  report  it  very  local.  Mr.  Caskey  regards  it  as  rather  rare  at 


1  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  54. 

2  Cassinia,  1903,  p.  6. 


184   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Morristown.  At  the  last  locality,1  as  well  as  at  Plainfield,2  it  has  been 
found  in  winter.  At  Orange3  Mr.  T.  M.  Trippe  reported  it  as  very 
rare,  and  Mr.  J.  Van  Rensselaer,  Jr.,4  states  that  only  one  has  been 
seen  in  ten  years. 

409     Centurus  carol inus  (Linnaeus). 
Red-bellied  Woodpecker. 

Adult  male. — Length,  9-10.  Wing,  4-5.  Whole  top  of  head  and  back  of  neck, 
brilliant  scarlet ;  rest  of  upper  parts  transversely  barred  with  black  and  white ; 
under  surface,  pale  gray ;  center  of  abdomen  washed  with  red. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  head  gray  on  top ;  red  only  on  hind  neck  and 
nostril  plumes. 

Irregular  straggler  from  farther  south. 

Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  reports  a  nest  of  this  species  in  Ocean  county  May 
29th,  1861.  No  one  else  has  found  it  breeding  in  the  State,  and  there 
seem  to  be  only  three  other  records  of  its  occurrence,  one  at  Keyport, 
November  23d,  1887  ;5  one  at  Newton,  November  16th,  1889,6  and 
another  at  Cape  May  Point,  April  llth,  1903.7  Mr.  Babson  states 
that  Mr.  Scott  saw  some  at  Princeton,  but  gives  no  definite  data. 


412     Colaptes  auratus  luteus  Bangs. 
Flicker. 

PLATE  39. 

Adult  male. — Length,  12.50.  Wing,  5.50-6.50.  Above,  brownish-gray,  trans- 
versely barred  with  black;  top  of  head,  plain  ashy-gray,  with  a  bright  scarlet 
crescent  across  the  back  of  the  neck ;  rump,  white ;  upper  tail-coverts,  white, 
barred  with  black ;  primaries,  secondaries  and  tail  feathers,  black,  with  yellow 
shafts  and  yellow  underneath ;  secondaries  with  gray  notches  on  the  outer 
webs ;  under  side  of  body  vinaceous,  becoming  paler  and  slightly  yellowish  pos- 
teriorly ;  a  black  stripe  on  each  side  at  the  base  of  the  bill ;  a  broad  black 
crescent  on  the  breast,  and  rest  of  sides  and  abdomen  thickly  marked  with  round 
black  spots. 


1  O.  and  O.,  XL,  p.  91. 

2  Osprey,  II.,  p.  91. 

3  Amer.  Nat.,  VII.,  p.  389. 
*  Oologist,  1895,  p.  79. 

5  Foster,  Forest  and  Stream,  XXIX.,  p.  363. 

6  Lewis,  Auk,  1890. 

7  Pennock,  Cassinia,  1903,  p.  75. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  185 

Adult  female.— Similar,  but  lacks  the  black  marks  at  the  base  of  the  bill. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  duller;  breast  band  and  scarlet  cres- 
cent not  so  well  developed  ;  sometimes  the  whole  top  of  the  head  is  tinged  with 
red. 

Nest  in  a  tree  trunk ;   eggs,  five  to  nine,  glossy  white,  1.10  x  .90. 

Abundant  summer  resident  and  occasional  resident.  Arrives  Feb- 
ruary 17th  (March  13th),  departs  November  10th. 

The  Flicker  is  one  of  our  most  familiar  and  abundant  birds.  In 
the  spring  the  loud,  rapid  call,  "kuk,  kuk,  kuk,  kuk,  kuk,  kuk/"  etc.,  is 
heard  from  every  piece  of  woodland,  as  well  as  the  peculiar  "whi-chew, 
whi-chew,"  uttered  as  the  birds  chase  each  other  around  a  tree  trunk. 
The  Flicker  has  also  a  single  loud  call  note.  In  habits  and  structure  it 
dif  ers  from  all  other  Woodpeckers,  being  partly  terrestrial  and  a  great 
devourer  of  ants,  these  insects  constituting  forty-five  per  cent,  of  its 
food,  as  many  as  three  thousand  having  been  found  in  a  single  stomach 
by  Professor  Beal.  The  Flicker  also  eats  more  berries  and  seed  than 
other  Woodpeckers.  In  flight  it  is  easily  recognized  by  the  conspicu- 
ous white  rump. 

Mr.  T.  M.  Trippe  records  several  specimens,  shot  at  Orange,  which 
had  red  feathers  in  the  black  malar  stripe,  thus  approaching  the  West- 
ern Red-shafted  Flicker.1 


Order  MACROCHIRES. 

Goatsuckers,  Swifts  and  Hummingbirds. 
Family   CAPRIMULGID^E. 

THE  GOATSUCKERS. 

These  are  nocturnal  or  semi-nocturnal  birds,  peculiar  in  their  short 
bill,  very  large  mouth  and  long  narrow  wings.  They  make  no  nest, 
but  lay  their  eggs  on  the  bare  ground.  Their  food  consists  entirely  of 
insects. 

a.  Plumage  finely  mottled  black  and  white,  a  large  white  spot  on  the  middle  of 

the  wing,  no  bristles  at  the  mouth.  NIGHTHAWK,  p.  186 

aa.  Plumage  brown  and  buff,  no  white  on  the  wing,  long  bristles  at  the  sides  of 

the  mouth.  WHIP-POOR-WILL,  p.  186 


Amer.  Nat,  VII..  p.  498. 


186   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

417    Antrostomus  vociferus  (Wilson). 
Whip-poor-will. 

PLATE  40. 

Adult  male. — Length,  9.50-10.  Wing,  5.50-6.50.  Head  with  bold  black 
streaks  on  a  grayish  ground  (color  composed  of  very  fine  black  and  white  mot- 
tlings)  ;  back  mottled  with  ochraceous  and  black  with  several  large  black  spots; 
middle  tail  feathers  and  rump,  blackish,  minutely  mottled  with  pale  gray; 
three  outer  tail  feathers,  black  basally,  white  terminally ;  wings,  black,  with 
broken  rusty  bars ;  under  parts  mottled  with  black  and  pale  buff,  a  white  half 
collar  across  the  throat. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  the  three  outer  tail  feathers  black,  narrowly 
edged  with  buff,  and  throat  band  buff  instead  of  white. 

No  nestj  eggs,  two,  dull  white,  with  pale  grayish  blotches,  laid  on  the  dead 
leaves  in  woods  ;  size,  1.50  x  .85. 

Common  summer  resident,  but  in  many  counties  local,  probably 
most  abundant  in  the  pine  barren  region.  Arrives  April  27th,  departs 
October  1st. 

The  Whip-poor-wills  are  especially  abundant  through  the  swamps  of 
the  pine  barrens,  where  they  begin  to  be  active  at  dusk,  coming  out  into 
the  clearings  and  chasing  one  another  about,  now  alighting  on  a  low 
branch,  now  on  the  fence  or  hitching  post,  and  again  on  the  ground  or 
doorstep,  and  every  few  moments  repeating  rapidly  the  "whip-poor- 
will,  whip-poor-will;"  there  is  a  preliminary  "chok"  which  is  only 
heard  when  close  to  the  bird.  I  have  lain  awake  at  night,  close  to  the 
edge  of  a  clearing  where  these  birds  were  calling,  and  counted  upwards 
of  thirty  successive  repetitions  of  the  call  before  the  performer  would 
pause.  In  the  daytime  they  are  occasionally  flushed  from  the  ground 
in  swamps  and  woodlands. 

They  are  wholly  insectivorous. 

420     Chordeiles  virginianus  (Gmelin). 

Nighthawk. 

PLATE  41. 

Adult  male. — Length,  9-10.  Wing,  7.50-8.25.  Above,  black,  irregularly  mot- 
tled with  white  and  buff ;  white  marks  more  numerous  on  the  wings ;  primaries, 
black,  the  five  outer  ones  with  a  broad  band  of  pure  white  across  the  middle  of 


THE  BIEDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  187 

both  webs ;  tail,  dusky,  with  bars  of  lighter  mottling  and  subterminal  white 
spots  on  all  but  the  middle  pair;  below,  breast  black  mottled  with  buff  and 
white;  half  collar  on  throat,  pure  white;  entire  abdomen,  sides  and  crissum 
barred  black  and  white. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  no  white  spots  on  the  tail,  and  throat  patch  buff. 

No  nest;  eggs,  two,  laid  on  the  bare  ground,  grayish-white,  thickly  mottled 
all  over  with  dull  brown,  1.20  x  .85. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  30th  (May  llth),  de- 
parts October  10th. 

The  Nighthawk  is  most  frequently  seen  just  before  dusk  flying 
high  overhead  in  an  irregular  jerking  manner,  now  and  then  diving 
toward  the  ground,  his  long,  narrow  wings  conspicuous  from  the  white 
spots,  which  look  from  below  like  holes.  As  he  flies  he  utters  a 
peculiar  harsh  cry,  which  can  be  heard  at  a  great  distance,  and  seems 
to  come  from  much  closer  at  hand  than  it  really  does.  During  the 
daytime  the  Nighthawks  may  be  found  on  the  ground,  or  on  some  log 
or  fence  rail,  their  mottled  plumage  blending  well  with  their  sur- 
roundings and  rendering  them  inconspicuous. 

They  are  wholly  insectivorous,  and  capture  their  food  on  the  wing. 


Family  MICROPODID^E. 

THE  SWIFTS. 

These  birds  are  similar  to  Swallows,  but  have  longer,  narrower 
wings,  and  projecting  spines  at  the  end  of  the  tail  feathers.  We  have 
but  one  species. 

423     Chaetura  pelagica  (Linnaeus). 
Chimney  Swift. 

PLATE  42. 

Adults. — Length,  4.75-5.50.  Wing,  5-5.25.  Above,  sooty  black;  feathers 
with  a  slight  gloss  on  the  central  part ;  wings,  black,  with  a  slight  bluish  sheen ; 
under  parts,  sooty  gray ;  throat  and  upper  breast,  pale  gray ;  a  jet  black  spot 
in  front  of  the  eye. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar.  * 

Nest  a  basket-like  structure  of  dead  twigs  fastened  together  and  to  the  inside 
of  the  chimney  in  which  it  is  located  by  a  gluey  substance  secreted  by  the  bird ; 
eggs,  four  to  six,  pure  white,  .75  x  .50. 


188   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Abundant  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  17th  (April  22d),  de- 
parts October  10th. 

The  Chimney  Swift  is  familiar  to  everyone,  circling  about  in  its 
rapid  flight  over  our  houses  or  fields,,  now  rapidly  plying  its  narrow 
pinions,  and  then,  with  set  curved  wings,  sailing  through  the  air. 

It  is  always  on  the  wing  except  when  it  drops  down  into  the  chim- 
ney and  rests,  clinging  against  the  sooty  walls.  Its  food  consists  en- 
tirely of  insects ;  its  note  is  a  long,  rapid  twitter. 

The  Swift  is  popularly  known  as  the  Chimney  Swallow,  but  it  is 
not  related  to  the  swallows,  the  superficial  resemblance  being  due  to 
adaption  to  the  same  mode  of  life.  Originally  the  Swifts  nested  in 
hollow  trees,  but  they  seem  to  have  entirely  abandoned  this  habit, 
although  Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads  has  found  them  nesting  at  Haddonfield  in 
an  old  barn,  the  nest  being  attached  to  the  boards. 


Family   TROCHILID-ffi. 

THE  HUMMINGBIRDS. 

There  is  but  one  species  of  Hummingbird  in  Eastern  North 
America. 

428     Archilochus   colubris    (Linnaeus). 
Ruby-throated  Hummingbird. 

PLATE  43. 

Adult  male.— Length,  3.10-3.25;  female,  3.60.  Wing,  1.60-1.80.  Upper 
parts,  brilliant  metallic  green ;  wings,  dusky,  coverts  edged  with  green ;  lower 
parts,  white  on  breast,  dusky  on  abdomen,  sides  tinged  with  green;  whole 
throat,  brilliant  metallic  crimson. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  crimson  on  throat  lacking. 

Nest  externally  of  lichens,  lined  with  fine  down,  placed  on  the  upper  side  of 
a  limb  ;  eggs,  two,  white,  .50  x  .35. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  May  3d  (May  9th),  departs 
September  25th. 

This  is  the  smallest  of  our  birds,  a  gem  of  tropical  bird  life,  which 
wanders  far  north  of  the  usual  range  of  its  family.  Our  most  familiar 
view  of  the  Hummingbird  is  in  the  garden  as  he  poises  himself  on 


THE  BIKDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  189 

rapidly  vibrating  wings  before  some  flower,  resembling  almost  exactly 
in  size  and  flight  the  Hummingbird  Moth  or  Sphinx,  which  has  the 
same  habit.  Sometimes  we  may  see  him  rest  for  a  time  on  a  branch, 
and  one  which  often  visits  my  garden  perches  on  the  clothesline. 

The  food  of  the  Hummingbird  consists  of  minute  insects  and  the 
nectar  of  flowers. 

Hummingbirds  are  distributed  throughout  the  State,  but  seem  to 
be  particularly  abundant  in  Cape  May  county,  where  their  favorite 
flower,  the  Trumpet  Creeper,  occurs  as  a  wild  plant. 


Order  PASSERES. 
Perching   Birds. 

To  this  order  belong  nearly  all  of  our  familiar  inland  birds — almost 
one-half  of  the  total  number  of  species  found  in  the  State.  Of  the 
167  species  of  land  birds  (exclusive  of  birds  of  prey  and  game  birds), 
152  belong  to  this  group. 

They  comprise  all  our  most  valuable  insect  destroyers  and  song 
birds — such  as  Sparrows,  Warblers,  Thrushes,  Wrens,  Swallows,  etc. 

GENERAL  KEY  TO  THE  SPECIES  OF  PASSERINE  BIRDS. 

Special  keys  are  given  under  each  family,  but  as  it  is  difficult  to 
select  obvious  family  characters  except  in  a  few  instances,  this  general 
key  has  been  prepared,  by  which  any  of  the  smaller  land  birds  may  be 
identified  or  referred  to  their  proper  families,  except  the  Woodpeckers, 
Kingfisher,  Cuckoos,  Whip-poor-will,  Night  Hawk,  Swift  and  Hum- 
mingbird, which  have  already  been  covered  in  the  key  to  higher  groups 
on  p.  36. 

o.  Bill  distinctly  flat,  broad  at  the  base,  and  well  provided  with  bristles; 

head  slightly  crested ;    colors  plain  white,  gray  or  pale  yellow  below ; 

brown,  olive  or  slaty  above.  FLYCATCHERS,  p.  193 

oo.  Bill  very  short  and  broad,  gape  very  deeply  cleft,  more  than  twice  as  long 

as  the  bill ;    outer  primary  more  than  twice  as  long  as  the  innermost. 

SWALLOWS,  p.  250 
oca.  Bill  with  mandibles  crossed.  CROSSBILLS,  p.  223 


190   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

aaaa.  Bill  slender  or  conical   (or,  if  somewhat  flattened,  plumage  with  bright 
tints). 
6.  No  yellow  in  plumage. 

c.  Back   not   streaked,    tail   not  brown   narrowly   cross-barred  with 
black. 

d.  General    plumage    black    or    with    metallic    reflections 
(feathers  often  edged  with  buff  or  rusty  in  autumn).1 
e.  Whole    plumage    uniform    (except   for    autumnal 
edgings). 

f.  Wing  over  10.  CROWS,  p.  202 

//.  Wing  under  6. 

GRACKLES  or  BLACKBIRDS,  p.  207 
ee.  Head  brown.  COWBIRD,  p.  209 

eee.  Shoulders  red  and  buff  (or  white). 

RED-WINGED  BLACKBIRD,  p.  210 
dd.  Back  and  head  black. 

e.  Belly  white.  CHEWINK,  p.  242 

ee.  Belly  and  rump  orange.  BALTIMORE  ORIOLE,  p.  214 

eee.  Belly  and  rump  chestnut.    ORCHARD  ORIOLE,  p.  213 

ddd.  Back  gray  or  ashy  (feathers  edged  with  rusty  in  Rusty 

Blackbird). 

e.  No  white  on  tail. 

/.  Head  and  rump  with  yellow-olive  tint. 

PINE  GROSBEAK  (female),  p.  220 
ff.  No  olive  tint. 

g.  Under  parts  ashy. 

h.  Under  tail-coverts  rufous. 

CATBIRD,  p.  295 

hh.  Under  tail-coverts  not  rufous, 
i.  Lighter  below  than  above. 

COWBIRD  (female),  p.  209 
ii.  Uniform  above  and  below. 
RUSTY  BLACKBIRD  (female),  p.  215 
gg.  Under   parts   whitish,    throat   and   cap 
black.  CHICKADEES,  p.  305 

ee.  White  spots  at  the  end  of  outer  tail  feathers. 

/.  Under  parts  rusty  red.  ROBIN,  p.  314 

ff.  Under  parts  white  or  pale  gray. 

g.  Black  ear  patch.  SHRIKES,  p.  257 

gg.  No  ear  patch. 

h.  Wing  over  4.   MOCKINGBIRD,  p.  294 
hh.  Wing  under  4.  JUNCO,  p.  238 

f.  Under  parts  narrowly  banded  with  dusky. 

SHRIKES,  p.  257 

dddd.  Plumage  of  upper  surface  bright  blue-gray  or  brilliant 
blue. 

e.  Blue-gray. 

f.  Cap  or  nape  black.        NUTHATCHES,  p.  303 
ff.  Cap  uniform  with  back. 

g.  Throat  white.       GNATCATCHER,  p.  309 
gg.  Throat  black. 

BLACK-THROATED  BLUE  WARBLER,  p.  274 


1  European  Starling  glossy  black,  with  purple  reflections  and  round  whitish 
spots  (see  p.  206). 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  191 


ee.  Bright  blue. 

f.  Wing  over  5.  BLUE  JAY,  p.  203 

ff.  Wing,  3.80-4.15.  BLUEBIRD,  p.  315 

iff.  Wing,  3.30-3.60.      BLUE  GROSBEAK,  p.  245 

ffff.  Wing,  2.60-2.80.  INDIGOBIRD,  p.  245 

ddddd.  Plumage  with  more  or  less  bright  red,  pink  or  crimson. 

e.  Bright    red    above    and    below    (body    sometimes 
gray  in  female). 

f.  Head  crested.  CARDINAL,  p.  243 

ff.  Head  not  crested.   SUMMER  TANAGER,  p.  249 
ee.  Plumage  scarlet,  wings  and  tail  black. 

SCARLET  TANAGER,  p.  248 
eee.  Under  wing-coverts  and  breast  pink. 

ROSE-BREASTED  GROSBEAK,  p.  244 

•eeee.  Cap,    back    and    breast   suffused    with    pink    or 
crimson  or  cap  alone  crimson. 
f.  Wing  over  4.50.         PINE  GROSBEAK,  p.  220 
ff.  Wing,  3.15-3.40.          PURPLE  FINCH,  p.  222 
fff.  Wing  under  3.  REDPOLL,  p.  224 

eeeee.  Tuft  of  orange-red  on  each  side  of  the  breast 
and  on  wings  and  tail.  REDSTART,  p.  291 

eeeeee.  A  spot  of  red  on  crown.  KINGLETS,  p.  307 

dddddd.  Back  brown  or  olive. 

e.  Plain  below,  not  streaked. 
f.  Back  brown. 

g.  A  white  spot  on  the  edge  of  the  wing. 

CHEWINK  (female),  p.  242 
gg.  No  white  on  wing. 

h.  A  white  mark  on  outer  tail  feather. 
PINE  WARBLER  (young),  p.  280 
hh.  No  white  on  tail. 

i.  Wing  about  3.50. 

BLUE  GROSBEAK  (female) ,  p.  245 
ii.  Wing  about  2.50. 

INDIGOBIRD  (female),  p.  245 
//.  Back  olive. 

g.  Bill  slightly  hooked  at  tip. 

VIREOS,  p.  259 
gg.  Bill  not  hooked. 

h.  Crown  striped  black  and  buff. 

WORM-EATING  WARBLER,  p.  267 
hh.  Head  uniform  with  back. 

i.  Two  rather  dull  wing  bars. 
j.  Wing  over  2.40. 

CERULEAN  WARBLER,  p.  277 
jj.  Wing  under  2.30. 
RUBY-CROWNED  KINGLET,  p.  308 
it.  No  wing  bars. 

j.  A  white  spot  on  edge  of  wing. 
BLACK-THROATED  BLUE 
WARBLER  (female),  p.  274 
jj.  No  white  on  wing. 

TENNESEE  WARBLER,  p.  272 


192   REPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

ee.  Streaked  below. 

f.  Outer  tail  feathers  tipped  with  white. 

TITLARK,  p.  293 
//.  Tail  without  white  marks. 

g.  Tail,  5-5.75.  BROWN  THRASHER,  p.  296 
gg.  Tail,  2-2.50. 

OVENBIRD  AND  WATER  THRUSHES,  p.  283 

ggg.  Tail,  2.60-3.30.  THRUSHES,  p.  310 

cc.  Back  streaked,  tail  not  conspicuously  cross-barred. 

d.  Plumage  largely  white  above ;    wing,  4.20-4.50. 

SNOW  BUNTING,  p.  227 
dd.  Tail  feathers  sharply  pointed ;    wing,  3.70-4. 

BOBOLINK,  p.  208 
ddd.  Bill  slender. 

e.  Bill  curved ;    wing,  2.40-2.70. 

BROWN  CREEPER,  p.  302 
ee.  Bill  not  curved ;    wing  less  than  3. 

f.  Back  blue.  CERULEAN  WARBLER,  p.  277 

//.  Back  not  blue.  WARBLERS,  p.  263 

Sections  6*  c  d  and  I*  c2  d 
dddd.  Bill  conical ;    "plumage  sparrow-like." 

SPARROWS,  p.  218 ;    section  b° 

ccc.  Back  plain  or  streaked,  tail  cross-barred  with  black.  WRENS,  p.  297 
II.  More  or  less  yellow  in  the  plumage. 
c.  Wing  less  than  3. 

d.  Bill  conical,  sparrow-like;    tail  slightly  forked. 

GOLDFINCH,  p.  225 

dd.  Bill  slightly  hooked  at  tip,  plain  above  and  below,  yellow 
on  breast  or  flanks  only.  VIREOS,  p.  259 

ddd.  Bill  slender,  not  sparrow-like,  tail  not  forked. 

e.  Yellow  on  crown  only,  bordered  with  black,  rest 
of  plumage  olive  or  grayish-white. 

GOLDEN-CROWNED  KINGLET,  p.  308 
ee.  Pattern  not  as  in  last. 

WARBLERS,  p.  264 ;   section  aa 
cc.  Wing  over  3. 

d.  Under  parts  olive-yellow. 

e.  Throat  black.     ORCHARD  ORIOLE  (young),  p.  213 
ee.  Throat  uniform  with  under  parts. 

f.  Wing,  3.    ORCHARD  ORIOLE  (female),  p.  213 
ff.  Wing,  3.50  or  over. 

g.  Olive-green  above. 

SCARLET  TANAGER  (female  or  male  in 
autumn),  p.  248 
gg.  Olive-buff  above. 

SUMMER  TANAGER  (female),  p.  249 

dd.  Bright  yellow  on  under   parts  with  black  on   throat  or 
breast,  brown  streaked  above. 

e.  Wing  over  3.90.  MEADOW  LARK,  p.  212 

ee.  Wing  under  3.30.  DICKCISSEL,  p.  246 

ddd.  Under  parts  dull  orange. 

BALTIMORE  ORIOLE  (female),  p.  214 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  193 

dddd.  Yellow  very  much  restricted. 

e.  Restricted  to  tips  of  tail  feathers  and  flanks. 

WAXWINGS,  p.  255 
ee.  Restricted  to  top  of  head  and  rump,  rest  gray. 

PINE  GROSBEAK  (female),  p.  220 
eee.  Restricted  to  throat;    breast  and  lores  black. 

HORNED  LARKS,  p.  201 


Family   TYRANNID^E. 

THE  FLYCATCHERS. 

The  Tyrant  Flycatchers  are  small  or  medium  sized,  usually  plain 
colored  birds  with  rather  long  wings  and  small  feet.  They  have  the 
habit  of  perching  on  some  convenient  limb,  often  at  the  top  of  a  dead 
tree,  from  which  they  sail  out  after  passing  insects,  returning  again 
to  the  same  perch.  Their  bills  are  very  broad  and  flat,  well  armed 
with  bristles  at  the  base. 

Their  vocal  apparatus  is  much  less  highly  organized  than  in  any  of 
the  following  families,  which  are  separated  collectively  as  the  Song 
Birds. 

a.  Wing  over  4. 

6.  Under  parts  white  or  tinged  with  gray,  tail  white  tipped. 

KINGBIRD,  p.  195 

66.  Under  parts  yellowish-white,  sides  and  band  across  the  breast  dusky. 

OLIVE-SIDED  FLYCATCHER,  p.  197 

666.  Throat  gray,  belly  yellow.  GREAT-CRESTED  FLYCATCHER,  p.  196 

6666.  Tail,  7-10  long,  deeply  forked. 

FORK-TAILED  AND  SCISSOR-TAILED  FLYCATCHERS,  p.  194 
aa.  Wing  under  3.5. 

6.  Wing  over  3. 

c.  Lower  mandible  dark.  PHOEBE,  p.  196 

cc.  Lower  mandible  light.  WOOD  PEWEE,  p.  198 

66.  Wing  under  3. 

c.  Lower  parts  sulphur  yellow.   YELLOW-BELLIED  FLYCATCHER,  p.  198 
cc.  Lower  parts  white,  sometimes  tinged  on  breast  with  pale  yellow. 
d.  Back  olive,  lower  mandible  pale.  ACADIAN  FLYCATCHER,  p.  199 
dd.  Back  decidedly  brownish,  lower  mandible  dusky. 

e.  Wing,  2.60  or  over.  ALDER  FLYCATCHER,  p.  199 

ee.  Wing  under  2.60.  LEAST  FLYCATCHER,  p.  200 

13 


194   EBPOBT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

442     Muscivora  tyrannus   (Linnaeus). 
Pork-tailed  Flycatcher. 

Adults. — Length,  12-14.  Wing,  4.10-4.75.  Tail,  9-10.  Above,  bluish-gray; 
head,  black,  with  a  central  yellow  spot ;  under  parts,  white ;  wings,  dusky ; 
tail,  black,  outermost  feathers  with  outer  web  white  for  basal  half.  Both  this 
and  the  following  are  remarkable  for  the  very  long,  forked  tail,  more  than  twice 
the  length  of  the  body. 

This  tropical  bird  which  does  not  normally  come  farther  north  than 
Southern  Mexico  and  the  lesser  Antilles,  has  strangely  enough  been 
taken  three  times  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey.  The  first  was  obtained 
near  Bridgeton,  in  the  first  week  of  December,  presumably  about  1820,1 
and  was  presented  by  Mr.  J.  Woodcraft,  of  that  town,  to  Titian  Peale. 
The  second  specimen  was  shot  by  Audubon,  a  few  miles  below  Camden, 
in  the  end  of  June,  1832.2  The  last  was  taken  near  Trenton,  in  au- 
tumn, 1900,  according  to  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott,  and  was  mounted  in  a 
store  at  the  corner  of  Broad  and  Liberty  streets,  Trenton.3 

One  cannot  but  think  that  these  birds  might  have  been  caged  speci- 
mens which  escaped  from  vessels  coming  up  the  Delaware. 

443     Muscivora  forficata  (Gmelin). 
Scissor-tailed  Flycatcher. 

Adults.— Length,  12-15.  Wing,  4.40-5.15.  Tail,  7-10.  Head,  neck  and 
breast,  pale  pearl-gray,  tinged  with  buff  and  pink  on  the  back,  passing  into 
black  on  the  upper  tail-coverts ;  a  spot  of  vermilion  in  the  middle  of  the  crown 
and  a  tuft  of  vermilion  feathers  on  each  side  of  the  breast ;  under  tail-coverts 
and  base  of  outer  tail  feathers,  pale  salmon-pink ;  tips  of  two  outer  tail  feathers 
and  all  of  the  others,  black ;  wings,  dusky ;  coverts  and  tertials  edged  with 
grayish-white. 

A  very  rare  straggler  from  the  Southwest  (Texas  and  Mexico). 
One  specimen  was  obtained  by  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott,  on  Crosswicks  mea- 
dows, five  miles  below  Trenton,  April  loth,  1872,  and  is  now  in  the 
Academy  of  Sciences,  Salem,  Massachusetts.4 

1  Bonaparte,  Amer.  Ornith.,  I.,  p.  1. 

2  Audubon,  Ornith.  Biog. 

8  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  56. 
4  Amer.  Nat.  VI.,  p.  367. 


THE  BIKDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  195 

444     Tyrannus  tyrannus    (Linnaeus). 
Kingbird. 

PLATE  44. 

Adults. — Length,  8-9.  Wing,  4.50.  Above,  dark  slate  color ;  head,  black, 
with  a  concealed  median  spot  of  orange  feathers ;  wings,  dusky ;  coverts  and 
tertials  slightly  bordered  with  white ;  tail,  black,  all  the  feathers  broadly  tipped 
with  white ;  under  parts,  white,  slightly  tinged  with  gray  on  the  breast. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  browner  above,  and  concealed  crown 
patch  lacking. 

Nest  of  twigs  and  rootlets,  lined  with  wool,  moss,  etc.,  placed  in  the  top  of 
a  tree ;  eggs,  three  to  five,  white,  with  rather  coarse  spots  of  brown,  .95  x  .70. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  29th  (May  4th),  departs 
September  20th. 

A  common  bird  of  the  farm  and  orchard;  the  Kingbird  is  familiar 
to  everyone.  From  his  perch  on  a  dead  branch  at  the  top  of  a  tree  he 
keeps  a  watch,  as  it  were,  over  his  domain,  and  every  now  and  then 
darts  out  to  catch  some  passing  insect,  or  to  pursue  some  feathered 
trespasser  who  has  entered  his  territory.  He  attacks  all  birds  alike, 
without  regard  to  any  possible  injury  that  they  may  inflict  upon  him 
or  his  family.  His  wonderful  agility  enables  him  to  make  it  very 
uncomfortable  for  the  passing  Turkey  Vulture  or  Crow,  and  I  have 
seen  him  press  a  circling  Chimney  Swift  so  closely  as  to  drive  him  to 
the  ground  almost  paralyzed  with  fright.  As  he  returns  to  h'is  post  he 
gives  vent  to  his  harsh  "see-saw"-like  call. 

In  early  spring  he  likes  to  perch  on  the  top  of  some  old  mullein 
stalk  or  weed  in  the  pasture  and  from  this  vantage  point  snap  up  any 
passing  insects.  Occasionally  he  devours  honey  bees,  but  not  enough 
to  constitute  any  damage,  while  eighty  per  cent,  of  his  food  consists  of 
noxious  insects. 

447     Tyrannus  verticalis  Say. 
Arkansas  Kingbird. 

Adults— length,  8-9.50.  Wing,  4.75-5.25.  Pale  slaty-gray  above,  paler  on 
the  throat  and  breast ;  belly,  yellow,  with  a  tinge  of  the  same  on  the  rump ; 
tail-coverts  and  tail,  black ;  outer  web  of  outermost  feathers,  white ;  wings, 
dusky  brown ;  a  concealed  red  crown  patch. 


196   EEPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Another  straggler  from  the  far  West.  One  specimen  was  taken  by 
Professor  A.  H.  Phillips  at  Princeton,  September  29th,  1894,  which 
is  in  his  collection.1 

452     Myiarchus  crinitus   (Linnaeus). 
Great  Crested  Flycatcher. 

PLATE  45. 

Adults. — Length,  8.50-9.  Wing,  4.25.  Above,  dull  olive;  feathers  on  the 
head  with  dusky  centers;  wings  with  two  light  bars  and  light  edgings  to  the 
tertials ;  outer  webs  of  primaries,  rusty ;  middle  pair  of  tail  feathers  and  outer 
webs  of  the  others,  olive-brown ;  inner  webs,  cinnamon  rufous ;  throat  and 
breast,  gray  ;  abdomen,  sulphur  yellow. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  more  tinged  with  rusty. 

Nest  in  a  hollow  of  a  tree  trunk  or  in  the  end  of  a  broken  hollow  limb ;  com- 
posed of  grass,  etc.,  and  almost  invariably  of  pieces  of  cast  snake  skin;  eggs, 
three  to  six,  cream  colored,  streaked  with  brown,  .85  x  .65. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  29th  (May  4th),  departs 
September  1st. 

The  loud,  harsh  cry  of  this  Flycatcher  once  heard  will  never  be  for- 
gotten. It  carries  far  across  the  woodland,  and  once  back  from  his 
winter  home,  the  bird  is  not  slow  to  announce  his  arrival.  When  sev- 
eral Great  Crests  are  chasing  each  other  through  the  woods  the  racket 
is  really  startling.  They  are  not  always  woodland  birds,  but  fre- 
quently nest  in  old  apple  trees  in  the  orchard,  and  become  quite 
familiar,  giving  us  a  good  view  of  their  fine  erectile  crest  and  dis- 
tinctive coloring.  Besides  the  harsh  cry,  usually  repeated  rapidly 
several  times,  they  have  a  more  plaintive  single  call  that  I  have  fre- 
quently heard  about  dusk  from  a  bird  that  had  established  a  roosting 
place  in  a  thick  maple  near  our  porch. 


456     Sayornis  phoebe    (Latham). 
Phoebe. 

Adults.— Length,  6.25-7.  Wing,  3.30.  Above,  grayish  olive-brown;  wings 
and  tail  more  dusky;  top  and  sides  of  head,  sooty  brown;  under  parts,  dull 
white,  much  yellower  in  autumn. 

1  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  152. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  197 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  wing-coverts  tipped  with  buff,  forming 
two  bars,  and  upper  tail-coverts  tinged  with  cinnamon. 

Nest  of  mud  and  moss,  lined  with  grass,  etc.,  placed  under  the  eaves  of  a 
spring  house,  boat  house  or  barn,  or  under  a  bridge  or  upturned  stump ;  eggs, 
four  to  six,  white,  .75  x  .55. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  March  13th  (March  21st),  de- 
parts October  25th. 

One  was  seen  by  Dr.  William  C.  Braislin  at  Crosswicks,  Mercer 
county,  December  26th,  1894.1 

The  Phcebe  is  one  of  our  true  home  birds,  and  one  that  we  look  for 
with  interest  as  a  real  herald  of  springtime.  He  perches  familiarly 
-on  the  fence,  on  old  weed  stalks,  or  about  the  farm  buildings,  inces- 
santly flirting  his  tail  and  giving  vent  to  the  well-known  "phoe'be, 
phce'be,  phce'be." 

459     Nuttallornis  borealis   (Swainson). 
Olive-sided  Flycatcher. 

Adults. — Length,  7.75.  Wing,  4.  Above,  dark  smoky  gray ;  wings  and  tail, 
blacker ;  tertials  slightly  edged  with  whitish ;  under  parts,  white,  sometimes 
faintly  tinged  with  yellow ;  breast,  except  a  median  line,  and  flanks,  ashy  brown, 
distinctly  streaked  with  dusky. 

Rare  transient.  May  and  August — September.  Mr.  Chapman 
regards  it  as  not  uncommon,  in  autumn,  near  New  York.2  It  is  rare 
at  Demarest  (Bowdish),  and  one  is  recorded  from  Morristown,  Sep- 
tember 18th,  1885,  by  Thurber  and  Greene.3  Mr.  Scott  saw  only  one 
at  Princeton,4  and  for  south  Jersey  we  have  no  record,  although 
Krider5  states  that  he  has  taken  it. 


1  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  VII.,  p.  9. 

2  Birds  Vicinity  N.  Y.,  p.  53. 

3  O.  and  O.,  XL,  p.  92. 

*  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  57. 
5  Field  Notes,  p.  24. 


198   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

461     Myiochanes  virens    (Linnaeus). 
Wood  Pewee. 

PLATE  44. 

Adults. — Length,  6-6.50.  Wing,  3.25.  Above,  plain  olive-brown ;  wings  and 
tail,  dusky ;  slight  whitish  edgings  to  wing-coverts  and  tertials ;  under  parts, 
grayish-white,  tinged  with  olive-gray  on  the  breast,  and  a  very  faint  wash  of 
yellow  on  the  abdomen. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  with  conspicuous  buff  wing  bars  and 
a  buff  tinge  on  the  rump. 

Nest  on  the  horizontal  limb  of  a  tree,  covered  externally  with  lichens  lined 
with  fine  grass,  etc. ;  eggs,  three  to  four,  creamy  white,  with  a  circle  of  dark 
brown  spots  at  the  larger  end,  .80  x  .55. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  May  3d  (May  9th),  departs 
September  20th. 

The  Wood  Pewee  is  a  familiar  summer  resident  of  the  orchard  and 
woodland,  and  throughout  the  day  his  plaintive  drawling  "pee — wee" 
may  be  heard,  contrasting  strangely  with  the  sharp  emphatic  cry  of 
the  Phoebe.  He  is  wholly  insectivorous,  sailing  out  from  his  perch 
on  some  dead  limb  to  catch  his  prey  on  the  wing. 

463     Empidonax  flaviventris  Baird. 
Yellow-bellied  Flycatcher. 

Adults. — Length,  5.75.  Wing,  2.50-2.75.  Above,  plain  greenish-olive  ;  wings, 
dull  black,  with  two  conspicuous  yellowish  bars,  and  edgings  of  the  same  on 
the  tertials ;  under  parts,  pale  yellow ;  breast  shaded  with  olive. 

Tolerably  common  transient.  Spring,  May  17th  to  20th;  autumn, 
September  4th  to  25th. 

Best  told  from  the  related  species  by  the  much  more  yellow  and 
olive  under  surface.  It  is  only  a  passing  visitor  in  New  Jersey  and 
usually  silent  while  with  us. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  XEW  JERSEY.  199 

465     Empidonax  virescens   (Vieillot). 
Acadian  Flycatcher. 

Adults. — Length,  5.50.  Wing,  2.75.  Grayish  olive-green  above ;  wings  and 
tail,  brownish ;  two  buff  or  whitish  wing  bars  and  similar  edgings  to  the  ter- 
tials;  under  parts,  pale  yellowish-white,  shaded  with  olive  on  the  breast. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  feathers  of  the  upper  parts  edged  with 
buff  and  wing  bands  strongly  buff. 

Nest  on  a  slender  fork  near  the  end  of  a  horizontal  limb,  made  largely  of  oak 
or  chestnut  catkins,  mixed  with  vegetable  fibers ;  eggs,  two  to  three,  creamy- 
white,  with  a  few  reddish  spots  at  the  larger  end,  .75  x  .55. 

Common  summer  resident,,  except  in  the  most  northern  counties. 
Common  in  the  lower  Hudson  valley,  rare  at  Plainfield  (Miller), 
rather  uncommon  at  Princeton  (Babson),  but  regular  at  Newton, 
Sussex  county  (Philipp).  Arrives  May  5th,  departs  September  15th. 

This  is  the  breeding  little  green  Flycatcher  of  the  southern  half  of 
New  Jersey,  though  it  overlaps  the  range  of  the  Least  Flycatcher  across 
the  middle  of  the  State,  both  species  breeding  at  Trenton  (Stone)  and 
at  Plainfield  (Miller). 

The  Acadian  Flycatcher  is  a  bird  of  the  woodland  usually  near 
some  little  brook,  though  its  nest  is  often  swung  out  over  the  water  of 
a  larger  stream.  It  has  a  single  call,  repeated  at  regular  intervals,  as 
the  bird  sits  upon  its  perch,  or  occasionally  sails  out  in  pursuit  of  a 
passing  insect. 

466a     Empidonax  traillj  alnorum  Brewster. 
Alder  Flycatcher. 

Adults. — Length,  6.  Wing,  2.75.  Above,  brownish-olive ;  wings  and  tail, 
dusky ;  two  deep  buff  wing  bars  and  dull  whitish  edgings  to  the  tertials ;  under 
parts,  white,  tinged  with  light  yellow  posteriorly ;  breast  shaded  strongly  with 
olive-gray. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  browner  above,  and  wing  bars  darker. 

Nest  of  grass  and  vegetable  fibers  in  an  upright  crotch  of  a  bush  near  the 
ground ;  eggs,  three  to  four,  white,  spotted  wit'h  rusty  brown  at  the  larger  end, 
.70  x  .54. 

Rare  transient,  breeding  locally  in  the  northern  half  of  the  State. 

This  little  Flycatcher  is  a  denizen  of  open  swamps  covered  with 
alder  bushes,  among  the  branches  of  which  it  searches  for  its  insect 
food,  uttering  now  and  then  the  distinctive  cry  which  Dr.  Dwight  has 
so  admirably  represented  by  the  syllables  "ee-zee-e-up."  The  same 


200   EEPORT  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

sort  of  localities  seem  to  be  affected  by  this  bird  during  migration  as 
in  the  nesting  season,  and  this  is  perhaps  one  of  the  best  clues  to  its 
identity,  as  none  of  its  three  close  relatives  are  likely  to  occur  in  alder 
swamps.  Until  comparatively  recently,  the  Alder  Flycatcher  was  not 
known  to  nest  in  the  State,  though  Mr.  Rhoads  found  them  at  Lake 
Hopatcong1  late  in  May,  and  was  suspicious  of  their  status  in  that 
locality.  Later,  in  1899  to  1902,  Mr.  W.  D.  W.  Miller2  found  them 
breeding  regularly  in  the  vicinity  of  Plainfield.  Mr.  Ehoads  also  saw 
them  at  Alpine  in  June,  1901,3  Greenwood  and  Wawayanda  Lakes, 
June  4th-8th,  1909,  and  has  noted  them  as  rare  transients  at  Haddon- 
field. Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott  regarded  the  species  as  a  regular  transient 
at  Princeton  in  the  seventies.4 


467     Empidonax  minimus  Baird. 
Least  Flycatcher. 

Adults. — Length,  5-5.50.  Wing,  2.25-2.50.  Above,  brownish-olive;  two 
dull  white  wing  bars  and  tertials  edged  with  the  same;  under  parts,  white; 
very  pale  yellow  posteriorly ;  breast  shaded  with  olive-gray. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Browner  above,  and  wing  bands  darker. 

Nest  in  the  upright  fork  of  a  branch  constructed  of  vegetable  fibers,  fine 
bark,  etc. ;  eggs,  three  to  five,  white,  .65  x  .50. 

Common  transient  visitant  in  southern  New  Jersey;  summer  resi- 
dent in  the  northern  counties,  south  to  Plainfield  (Miller)  and 
Princeton  (Babson),  and  rarely  near  Haddonfield,  where  they  were 
found  by  Mr.  S.  N.  Ehoads  in  June  and  July,  1881. 5  Arrives  April 
28th  (May  2d),  departs  September  15th. 

This  is  one  of  the  four  little  green  Flycatchers  whose  identification 
is  always  a  matter  of  difficulty  to  the  beginner.  It  is  commonly  found 
in  the  trees  about  the  house  and  orchard.  Its  habits  are  like  those  of 
the  other  Flycatchers,  its  note  a  sharp  emphatic  "chebec/'  though  it 
occasionally  indulges  in  a  sort  of  flight  song  of  rather  more  elaborate 
character.  Mr.  S.  N".  Ehoads  on  one  or  two  occasions  has  found  the 
Least  Flycatcher  in  summer  near  Haddonfield,  which  is  its  most 
southern  breeding  locality.  From  Trenton  and  the  Earitan  north- 
wards it  is  a  regular  summer  resident. 


1  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  101. 

2  Auk,  1901,  p.  108 ;    1903,  p.  68. 
8  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  50. 

4  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  57. 
6  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1882,  p.  55. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  201 

Family   AL AUDIBLE. 
THE  LARKS. 

These  birds  are  poorly  represented  in  America.  All  our  forms,  of 
which  two  occur  in  the  State,  seem  to  be  sub-species  of  one  widely- 
distributed  species.  The  European  Skylark  has  been  liberated  about 
New  York,  and  at  least  one  attempt  was  made  to  introduce  them  in 
New  Jersey.  Larks  are  terrestrial  birds  with  a  very  large  hind  claw. 

473     Alauda  arvensis  Linnaeus. 
European  Skylark. 

In  the  Ornithologist  and  Oologist,  1884,  p.  11,  it  is  stated  that 
eighty-four  European  Skylarks  were  liberated  on  a  farm  in  New 
Jersey, ~in  1882,  and  that  some  were  still  to  be  seen  there. 

Mr.  "William  J.  Sherratt"  [=  William  J.  Rogers]  states  in  the 
same  journal  for  1884,  p.  24,  that  several  European  Skylarks  were  seen 
during  the  summer  of  1883,  along  the  Camden  and  Atlantic  railroad, 
below  Winslow  Junction.  Skylarks  have  been  introduced  in  small 
numbers  on  Long  Island,  but  have  not  increased. 

474     Otocoris  alpestris   (Linnaeus). 
Horned  Lark,  Shore  Lark. 

PLATE  46. 

Adult  male. — Length,  7.50-8.  Wing,  4-4.50.  Upper  parts  vinaceous,  more 
or  less  washed  and  streaked  with  brown ;  rump  and  shoulders  brighter ;  a  line 
along  each  side  of  the  crown,  including  some  elongated  erectile  feathers,  black ; 
forehead  and  line  over  the  eye,  pale  yellowish  ;  a  broad  black  stripe  from  the 
base  of  the  bill  down  the  side  of  the  throat,  and  a  triangular  breast  patch,  black ; 
whole  throat  and  ear  region,  pale  yellow;  abdomen,  white;  sides,  vinaceous; 
hind  part  of  breast  streaked  with  dusky ;  middle  tail  feathers,  vinaceous  ;  others 
black,  outer  ones  edged  with  white.  In  winter,  when  the  birds  are  with  us,  the 
black  areas  are  all  veiled  with  whitish  edgings. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  duller. 


2Q2   REPOKT  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Common  winter  visitant  in  large  flocks  along  the  coast,  and  less 
frequent  inland. 

When  feeding  in  old  sandy  fields  these  birds  are  scarcely  distin- 
guishable, so  closely  does  their  coloring  resemble  their  surroundings. 
The  whole  flock  takes  flight  together,  with  low  "peents,"  and  sails 
about  close  to  the  ground,  soon  coming  to  rest  again. 

When  walking  about,  the  erectile  feathers  behind  the  eye,  which 
give  the  bird  its  name  of  Horned  Lark,  may  often  be  seen  elevated. 

In  the  interior  of  the  State  we  usually  associate  these  birds  with  a 
heavy  fall  of  snow,  as  they  frequently  appear  simultaneously  with  a 
storm  or  blizzard,  doubtless  traveling  from  feeding  grounds  that  have 
been  buried  under  the  white  mantle. 


474b     Otocoris  alpestris  praticola  Henshaw. 
Prairie  Horned  Lark. 

Adults. — Length,  7-7.50;  female,  6.75.  Wing,  3.75-4.25.  Similar  to  the 
preceding  but  smaller,  less  streaked  above,  and  with  the  yellow  areas  almost 
entirely  white. 

Irregular  winter  visitant. 

This  race  of  Horned  Lark,  which  nests  in  northern  Pennsylvania 
and  probably  Long  Island,  may  possibly  occur  as  a  summer  resident  in 
northern  New  Jersey.  It  often  associates  with  the  preceding  in  the 
winter  flocks,  but  is  by  no  means  so  abundant.  Mr.  L.  K.  Holmes 
has  reported  it  at  Summit  and  Mr.  W.  D.  Miller  at  Plainfield. 


Family   CORVIDJE. 

THE  CROWS. 

This  family  comprises  the  Crows  and  Jays,  of  which  four  species 
occur  in  the  State.  They  are  large  or  medium  sized  birds,  with  power- 
ful bills  and  strong  feet.  Their  food  is  varied. 

a.  Plumage  glossy  black. 

I.  Wing  over  15.  RAVEX.  p.  204 

66.  Wing,  12-13.  CROW,,  p.  205 

666.  Wing  under  12.  FISH  CROW,  p.  206 

6.  Plumage  blue  above,  marked  with  black  and  white ;    head  crested. 

BLUE  JAY.  p.  203 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  203 

477     Cyanocitta  cristata    (Linnaeus). 
Blue  Jay. 

PLATE   47. 

Adults.— Length,  11-12.50.  Wing,  5-5.75.  Above,  grayish-blue;  head 
strongly  crested ;  forehead,  black ;  a  black  band  across  the  base  of  the  crest 
behind  and  down  the  sides  of  the  neck  and  across  the  breast,  where  it  becomes 
wider ;  wings  and  tail,  bright  blue ;  secondaries  and  greater-coverts  barred  with 
black  and  broadly  tipped  with  white ;  tail  feathers  barred  with  black  (except 
the  outer  pair),  and  all  but  the  middle  pair  broadly  tipped  with  white;  under 
parts,  grayish-white,  except  the  black  breast  band. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Grayer  and  with  little  or  no  crest. 

Nest  a  large,  compact  structure  of  fine  rootlets ;  eggs,  four  to  six,  dark  olive 
blotched  with  brown,  1.10  x  .80. 

Resident,  but  most  plentiful  during  autumn. 

This  splendid  bird  is  by  no  means  so  conspicuous  an  object  as  one 
might  suppose.  His  bright  colors  are  all  on  his  back,  and  by  keeping 
pretty  much  to  the  tree  tops  and  keeping  a  sharp  lookout  for  intruders, 
he  generally  manages  to  give  us  only  a  distant  view,  when  we  are 
forced  to  fall  back  upon  his  rounded,  white-tipped  tail,  his  mode  of 
flight  and  his  harsh  "jay,  jay"  for  purposes  of  identification. 

Besides  his  usual  cry  he  has  a  mellow,  flute-like  whistle  and  more 
rarely  other  notes. 

The  food  of  the  Jay  consists  of  one-quarter  animal  matter  (insects 
mainly)  and  three-quarters  vegetable.  His  preferences  seem  to  be  for 
acorns,  chestnuts,  beech  nuts,  etc.  While  universally  charged  with 
robbing  the  nests  of  smaller  birds,  the  investigation  of  the  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture  seems  to  show  that  the  Jay  is  not 
as  bad  as  is  generally  supposed,  though  not  guiltless.  Like  Crows, 
Jays  delight  in  mobbing  any  unfortunate  owl  which  they  may  discover 
blinking  on  his  perch.  In  captivity  they  prove  very  interesting  pets. 


204   EEPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

486a    Corvus  corax  principalis  Ridgway. 
Eaven. 

Adults. — Length,  21.50-26.  Wing,  15.50-18.  Everywhere  black  with  bluish 
reflections ;  feathers  of  the  throat  elongated  and  narrow. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Body  plumage  dull  brownish-black. 

Nest  a  bulky  structure  of  sticks  lined  with  bark,  fibers,  etc.,  situated  in  the 
top  of  a  tall  tree  (or  cliff  in  other  localities)  ;  eggs,  four  to  seven,  bluish-green, 
or  olive  spotted  with  brown  or  dark  olive,  1.95  x  1.25. 

Formerly  rare  resident.    A  few  may  still  breed  in  the  State. 

The  Eaven  is  a  bird  of  the  wildest  sections  of  the  country,  disap- 
pearing as  civilization  advances.  They  are  seen  singly  or  in  pairs, 
and  in  general  appearance  resemble  crows.  The  distinguishing 
points  as  we  see  the  bird  in  flight  are  (1)  the  larger  size — not  always 
an  easy  thing  to  judge,  since  distance,  atmosphere,  etc.,  play  an  im- 
portant part  in  estimating  the  bulk  of  a  bird;  (2)  the  hoarse  guttural 
croak;  (3)  the  more  frequent  sailing. 

In  New  Jersey  the  Eavens  are  restricted  mainly  to  the  wilderness 
known  as  the  Pine  Barrens  and  to  the  seashore.  In  winter  and  early 
spring  I  used  frequently  to  see  a  pair  crossing  the  salt  meadows  below 
Atlantic  City  from  the  pine  lands,  apparently  to  feed  along  the  beach, 
and  in  1892  and  1893  Mr.  S.  N.  Ehoads  and  I  saw  a  pair  near  May's 
Landing,  which  were  said  to  nest  in  the  vicinity.1 

Mr.  Jillson,  of  Tuckerton,  informs  me  that  a  pair  bred  regularly  a 
few  miles  inland  from  that  point,  returning  to  the  same  nest  year 
after  year,  but  in  1905  the  wood  where  they  nested  was  cut  down. 
Eavens  have,  however,  been  seen  in  the  vicinity  in  subsequent  years. 
Mr.  George  B.  Benners  writes  me  that  he  obtained  two  young  Eavens, 
just  able  to  fly,  from  a  nest  in  a  gum  tree,  in  a  swamp  between  West 
Creek  and  Tuckerton,  May  1889,  and  Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott2  secured  a 
specimen  at  West  Creek,  January  17th,  1879.1 

Beesley  mentions  them  as  occurring  in  Cape  May  county  in  1857, 
but  he  did  not  know  of  their  nesting.  Thurber  records  one  shot  at 
Morristown  by  L.  P.  Sherer  about  1881. 

1  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  103. 

2  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  82. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  205 

488     Corvus  brachyrhynchos  Brehm. 
Crow. 

PLATE  48. 

Adults. — Length,  17-21.  Wing,  12-13.  Everywhere  black  with  blue  or  pur- 
plish reflections ;  abdomen  duller. 

Young  in  first  summer. —  Body  plumage,  dull  brownish-black. 

Nest  a  bulky  structure  of  twigs  lined  with  cowhair,  bark,  grass,  etc.,  gen- 
erally placed  in  the  top  of  a  chestnut  or  oak  tree;  eggs,  green,  blotched  with 
brown,  1.60  x  1.15. 

Abundant  resident. 

In  summer  Crows  are  scattered  over  our  woodland  in  pairs,  but 
toward  winter  they  begin  to  gather  into  the  great  flocks  which  are  so 
characteristic  of  midwinter  in  southern  Jersey.  Evening  and  morn- 
ing they  may  be  seen  winging  their  way  to  and  from  their  roosting 
places,  which  are  definite  sections  of  woodland  that  have  been  in  use 
for  generations. 

Roosts  now  in  use  are  located  at  Merchantville,  Camden  county; 
Fishing  Creek,  Cape  May  county;  below  Salem,  Salem  county;  Allo- 
way,  Salem  county,  and  Ash  Swamp,  Union  county.  Doubtless  there 
are  others,  but  all  of  them  seem  to  be  decreasing  in  population,  and 
possibly  the  Crows  are  being  driven  by  persecution  to  break  up  into 
much  smaller  roosting  communities  than  formerly. 

From  an  economic  standpoint  much  has  been  written  about  the 
Crow,  with  the  result  that  he  seems  to  stand  literally  on  the  fence. 
Twenty-three  per  cent,  of  his  food  consists  of  insects,  the  bulk  of  them 
noxious  species.  On  the  other  hand,  he  annually  devours  a  consider- 
able quantity  of  corn,  causing  the  farmer  much  trouble  and  vexation. 

All  things  considered,  it  would  seem  that  scarecrows  and  other 
methods  of  frightening  the  crows  from  the  crops  would  be  preferable 
to  attempted  extermination. 

As  pets,  Crows  are  amusing  and  intelligent. 

Much  has  been  written  about  Crows  and  their  roosts.1 


1  Cf.  S.  N.  Rhoads,  Amer.  Nat,  1886,  pp.  691  and  777 ;  E.  Martin,  Oologist, 
IV.,  1887,  p.  94 ;  W.  T.  Davis,  Auk,  1894,  pp.  228-231 ;  W.  Stone,  Bird  Lore, 
1899,  pp.  177-180 :  Auk,  1903,  pp.  267-271 ;  H.  L.  Coggins,  Cassinia,  1903,  pp. 
29-42 ;  C.  J.  Hunt,  Auk,  19Q6,  p.  429 ;  also  Prof.  W.  B.  Barrows,  The  Com- 
mon Crow  of  the  U.  S. ;  Bull.  6,  U.  S.  Dept.  Agr.  Div.  Orn.  and  Mam. 


206    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

489     Corvus  ossifragus  Wilson. 
Fish  Crow. 

Adults.— Length,  15-17.  Wing,  10.25-11.25.  Everywhere  black  with  bluish 
reflections  above,  and  a  greenish  gloss  below,  where  the  plumage  does  not  be- 
come duller  as  in  the  Common  Crow ;  the  back  is  also  more  uniformly  glossy, 
and  is  not  broken  by  duller  tips  to  the  feathers. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Duller ;    body  plumage,  brownish-black. 

Nest  usually  in  a  pitch  pine  tree ;  eggs,  four  to  six,  similar  to  those  of  the 
American  Crow,  but  rather  smaller,  1.45  x  1.05. 

Resident  along  the  coast  and  lower  Delaware  River. 

According  to  Zarega,1  they  occur  regularly  north  to  Seabright,  and 
less  so  to  Sandy  Hook.  Mr.  Babson  states  that  they  nest  occasionally 
at  Princeton.2 

While  clearly  distinct  from  the  Common  Crow  when  in  the  hand, 
the  Fish  Crow  is  by  no  means  so  readily  distinguished  in  life.  Unless 
they  are  seen  together  the  difference  in  size  is  not  very  appreciable, 
but  the  call  is  quite  different,  the  "caw"  of  the  Fish  Crow  being  much 
weaker,  with  a  nasal  quality,  "as  if  the  bird  had  a  cold  in  the  head." 

The  Fish  Crow  occurs  only  along  the  seacoast  and  up  the  Delaware 
River,  breeding  throughout  its  range,  usually  in  colonies.  Typical 
nesting  communities  occur  on  the  island  beaches,  which  support  a 
growth  of  trees,  and  where  the  summer  resorts  and  their  visitors  have 
not  frightened  the  birds  away.3 

Family   STURNID-ffi. 

THE  STARLINGS. 

493     Sturnus  vulgaris  Linnaeus. 
European  Starling. 

Adult  male. — Length,  8.50.    Wing,  5.10.    Glossy  black  with  purple  and  green 
reflections,  'spotted  above  with  white  or  buff ;   bill,  yellow,  very  sharp  pointed. 
Female. — Spotted  below  as  well  as  above. 

1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1880,  p.  205. 

2  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  59. 

3  Cf.  also  for  nesting  on  the  N.  J.  coast ;    Burns,  Oologist,   1893,  p.  310 ; 
Crispin,  Oologist,  1901,  p.  106 ;    Shick,  Auk,  1890,  p.  328. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JEKSEY.  207 

Young  in  first  summer. — Ashy  brown,  without  spots. 

Nest  in  holes  about  buildings  or  hollow  trees,  constructed  of  grass,  twigs, 
etc. ;  eggs,  five,  pale  greenish-blue,  1.15  x  .85. 

According  to  Mr.  F.  M.  Chapman,,  eighty  Starlings  were  liberated 
by  Mr.  Eugene  Schuffelin,  in  Central  Park,  New  York,  on  March  6th, 
1890,  and  forty  more  on  April  25th,  1891.  By  1894  they  had  spread 
beyond  the  park  limits,  and  by  1906  had  reached  Red  Bank  and  Prince- 
ton, Xew  Jersey.1  At  the  present  time  they  have  spread  down  the 
coast  to  Tuckerton,  in  the  interior  as  far  as  Vineland,  and  down  the 
Delaware  to  Philadelphia,  with  one  record  for  the  State  of  Delaware.2 
As  soon  as  it  became  apparent  that  the  Starlings  had  obtained  a  foot- 
ing in  New  York,  the  United  States  government  prohibited  their  fur- 
ther importation,  but  too  late  to  stop  their  spread.  They  have  many 
of  the  undesirable  qualities  of  the  English  Sparrow,  and  will,  it  is 
feared,  drive  away  many  of  our  native  birds. 


Family   ICTERID^E. 
THE  ORIOLES,  BLACKBIRDS,  ETC. 

The  members  of  this  family  are  peculiar  in  having  the  culmen  run 
well  up  on  the  forehead,  dividing  the  frontal  feathers. 

a.  Abdomen  streaked  all  over  with  black  and  white  (or  buff). 

RED-WING  BLACKBIRD  (female),  p.  210 
act.  Abdomen  not  streaked. 

6.  Under  parts  black   (sometimes  edged  with  buff  in  autumn). 

c.  Wing,  5.75  or  over.  GRACKLES,  pp.  215-217 

cc.  Wing  under  5. 

d.  Shoulder  red  and  buffy-white,  otherwise  black. 

RED-WING  BLACKBIRD  (male),  p.  210 
dd.  Hind  collar  buff,  rump  white,  otherwise  black. 

BOBOLINK  (male),  p.  208 
ddd.  Head  brown,  rest  of  plumage  blue-black. 

COWBIRD  (male),  p.  209 
dddd.  Head  yellow,  rest  of  plumage  black. 

YELLOW-HEADED  BLACKBIRD,  p.  210 
ddddd.  Entirely  blue-black   (edged  with  rusty  in  autumn). 

RUSTY  BLACKBIRD,  p.  215 

1  Birds  of  N.  Y.  and  Vicinity,  p.  164. 

2  Stone,  Auk,  1908,  p.  221.     Cf.  Babson,  Bird  Lore,  1907,  p.  209. 


208   BEPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

66.  Under  parts  gray  or  plumbeous. 

c.  Lighter  below  than  above,  bill  short  and  thick. 

COWBIRD  (female),  p.  209 

cc.  Uniform  above  and  below  (edged  with  rusty  in  autumn),  bill  more 
slender.  RUSTY  BLACKBIRD  (female),  p.  215 

666.  Under  parts  not  uniform  black  or  gray, 
c.  Throat  black. 

d.  Belly  chestnut.  ORCHARD  ORIOLE,  p.  213 

dd.  Belly  orange.  BALTIMORE  ORIOLE,  p.  214 

ddd.  Belly  olive-yellow.  ORCHARD  ORIOLE  (young),  p.  213 

cc.  Throat  not  black. 

d.  A  black  crescent  or  a  necklace  of  spots  across  the  breast, 
belly  yellow.  MEADOW  LARK,  p.  212 

dd.  Buff  below,  streaked  on  the  sides  with  brown  or  black. 

BOBOLINK  (female  and  autumnal  male),  p.  208 
ddd.  Uniform  pale  orange  below. 

BALTIMORE  ORIOLE  (female),  p.  214 
dddd.  Uniform  olive-yellow.         ORCHARD  ORIOLE  (female),  p.  213 


494     Dolichonyx  oryzivorus   (Linnaeus). 
Bobolink,,  Reedbird. 

PLATE  49. 

Adult  male  in  spring  and  summer. — Length,  6.50-7.50.  Wing,  3.75.  Head 
all  around  and  entire  under  parts,  black,  sometimes  with  buff  edgings  to  feathers  ; 
back  of  neck  in  broad  half  collar,  buff ;  back,  black,  streaked  with  buff ;  scap- 
ulars, rump  and  upper  tail-coverts,  white,  more  or  less  shaded  with  gray ;  tail, 
black ;  wings,  black ;  flight  feathers  edged  with  buff. 

In  autumn. — Above,  light  buffy-olive,  two  broad  blackish  stripes  on  the 
crown ;  feathers  of  the  back  largely  black,  the  buff  edgings  forming  two  longi- 
tudinal stripes;  wings  edged  with  buff;  under  parts,  buff,  deepest  on  the 
breast;  flanks  heavily  streaked  with  black,  often  a  few  black  feathers  on  the 
throat  and  breast. 

Adult  female. — Similar  to  autumnal  male,  but  never  showing  black  feathers 
below. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Feathers  of  the  upper  surface  black,  broadly  edged 
with  buff;  head,  black,  with  a  median  buff  stripe;  hind  neck  entirely  buff; 
under  parts,  pale  buff. 

Nest  of  grass,  situated  on  the  ground  and  well  concealed ;  eggs,  four  to  six, 
grayish-white,  spotted  irregularly  with  brown,  .84  x  .62. 

Common  transient  visitant;  summer  resident  from  Princeton  and 
Plainfield,  northward,  but  locally  distributed.  Arrives  May  2d  (May 
8th),  departs  September  20th. 

What  a  pity  that  such  a  splendid  bird  as  this  cannot  be  protected 
and  perpetuated !  Its  song  is  one  of  the  wonders  of  our  bird  music, 


THE  BIKDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  209 

and  the  wild  chorus  of  these  black  and  white  songsters,  as  they  sweep 
over  our  fields  on  their  way  northward,  defies  description. 

Apparently  they  originally  nested  farther  south  than  they  do  now; 
certainly  they  nested  everywhere  more  abundantly,  but  the  slaughter 
to  which  they  are  subjected  on  their  return  flight  in  the  autumn,  when 
in  the  somber  Reedbird  plumage,  they  are  shot  down  by  so-called 
"Sportsmen,"  is  rapidly  thinning  their  ranks. 

They  are  adepts  in  concealing  their  nests  and  one  may  search  for 
hours,  constantly  attended  by  the  male  on  fluttering  wings,  apparently 
full  of  anxiety  and  certainly  full  of  melody,  only  to  find  that  the  nest 
is  really  far  away  in  another  field. 


495     Molothrus  ater   (Boddaert). 
Cowbird. 

Adult  male.— Length,  7.75-8.25.  Wing,  4.50.  Entire  head,  neck  and  chest, 
dark  brown  .or  drab  ;  rest  of  plumage,  glossy  black,  with  greenish  reflections. 

Adult  female. — Above,  brownish-gray,  with  a  slight  iridescence  on  the  feathers 
of  the  back ;  below,  paler  brownish-gray,  with  darker  shaft  lines  on  many  of 
the  feathers. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  grayish-brown,  all  the  feathers  with  buff 
edgings ;  below,  dull  white,  tinged  with  buff  and  streaked  with'  dusky,  except 
on  the  throat. 

Builds  no  nest,  but  deposits  its  eggs  in  the  nests  of  other  birds ;  eggs,  white, 
thickly  and  minutely  speckled  with  brown,  .85  x  .64. 

Common  summer  resident,  occasional  in  winter — Cape  May  (Stone1 
and  Hand),  Yardville  (Allinson),  Plainfield  (Miller).2  Arrives 
March  15th  (March  2oth),  bulk  departs  in  October.  Some  linger  till 
December  1st,  at  Princeton  (Babson).3 

Small  bunches  of  these  birds  reach  us  early  in  the  spring,  and  the 
males  may  be  seen  perched  in  some  tree  on  the  edge  of  the  swamp 
spreading  their  wings  and  tail,  and  literally  forcing  out  the  guttural 
creaking  sounds  that  pass  with  them  for  a  song.  Later  we  see  the 
females  skulking  about  searching  for  the  nests  of  the  Warblers,  Spar- 
rows and  Vireos,  in  which  they  usually  deposit  their  eggs.  And  later 
still,  in  small  flocks,  they  may  be  seen  following  the  cattle  in  the  field. 


1  Auk,  1892,  p.  204. 

2  Osprey,  II.,  p.  91. 

3  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  59. 

14 


210    EEPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

They  consume  a  greater  portion  of  grain  than  the  Red-wing,  but  ap- 
parently most  of  it  picked  up  from  the  droppings  of  cattle  and  about 
the  barnyards. 

In  winter  I  have  found  them  in  Cape  May  county  associating  with 
Red-wings. 

497     Xanthocephalus  xanthocephalus  (Bonaparte). 
Yellow-headed  Blackbird. 

Adult  male. — Length,  10.  Wing,  5.50.  Black  with  the  head  and  breast 
bright  yellow,  except  a  black  spot  before  the  eye  and  on  the  chin ;  outer  wing- 
coverts,  white. 

Female. — General  color  brownish ;  forehead,  line  over  the  eye  and  breast, 
dull  yellow,  with  more  or  less  white  below. 

An  accidental  straggler  from  the  west. 

An  immature  specimen,  secured  by  a  gunner  at  Tuckerton  about 
1890,  is  in  the  collection  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  Phila- 
delphia. 

This  is  apparently  the  only  record  for  the  State.1 


498     Agelaius  phoeniceus   (Linnaeus). 
Red-winged  Blackbird. 

PLATE  50. 

Adult  male  in  summer. — Length,  9-10.  Wing,  4.75.  Uniform  black,  except 
the  shoulder  patch,  which  is  vermilion  or  scarlet,  bordered  with  buff.  In  autumn 
the  feathers  of  the  upper  part  are  bordered  with  rusty  brown  edgings,  those  of 
the  lower  parts  slightly  with  buff. 

Adult  female. — Length,  7.50-8.50.  Above,  dull  blackish-brown,  streaked  with 
buffy  ;  below,  broadly  streaked  blackish  and  buffy-white ;  throat  suffused  with 
pale  pink ;  shoulders  tinged  with  dull  red.  In  winter  broadly  edged  with  rusty 
and  buff  above. 

Young  male  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  the  adult  male,  but  heavily  veiled 
with  rusty  and  buff;  shoulder  patch  mottled  with  black. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar  to  adult  female,  but  more  yellowish-buff 
below  and  streaks  narrower. 

Nest  of  grass  situated  in  a  tussock  or  supported  upon  cattail  stalks  or  in  low 
bushes,  usually  close  to  the  water ;  eggs,  three  to  five,  pale  bluish-gray,  spotted 
and  "pen  marked"  with  black  about  the  larger  end,  1.00  x  .70. 

1  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  II.,  p.  14,  where  the  locality  is  inadvertently  given 
as  Fish-House. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY. 

Abundant  summer  resident.  Arrives  March  3d  (March  10th),  de- 
parts November  10th.  Occasional  in  winter,  usually  in  the  southern- 
most part  of  the  State.  Wildwood,  December  27th,  1903  (W.  L. 
Baily)  ;*  Leonia,  December,  1906  (C.  H.  Rogers).1  At  Princeton  and 
on  the  Delaware  marshes  at  Philadelphia  they  often  remain  until 
December  1st. 

Upland,  open  swamps  and  low  wet  pasture  fields,  or  the  large  cat- 
tail swamps  of  our  coast  and  rivers  are  equally  acceptable  as  breeding 
grounds  for  the  Red-wings.  They  assemble  sometimes  in  large  colo- 
nies; the  males  with  their  flaming  shoulder  patches,  ever  alert,  sail 
out  on  the  approach  of  an  intruder,  and  hovering  directly  over  his 
head  keep  up  an  incessant  harsh  calling.  Upon  his  retirement  each 
returns  to  his  perch  on  tree-top  or  fence  post  and  sounds  his  encourage- 
ment to  the  setting  female — the  resonant  "conquer — eee" — which  we 
may  also  hear  floating  up  from  the  border  of  the  swamp  as  the  dusk 
of  evening  settles  down. 

In  late  summer  and  autumn  the  birds  gather  in  flocks  repairing  to 
roosts  every  night,  often  associating  with  Grackles,  Robins  and  Cow- 
birds,  and  later  the  two  sexes  flock  separately,  remaining  apart  until 
the  mating  season  in  April. 

The  Red-wings  are  among  the  first  migrants  of  spring  time,  and  the 
flocks  of  females  always  arrive  somewhat  later  than  the  males.  In 
winter  occasional  flocks  are  to  be  found  in  Cape  May  county  and 
along  the  shores  of  the  Delaware  at  least  as  far  north  as  Philadelphia, 
but  they  drift  up  and  down  and  are  probably  not  permanently  resi- 
dent at  any  one  spot. 

The  Red-wing  is  one  of  the  few  of  our  smaller  birds  against  which 
the  farmer  entertains  an  hereditary  enmity.  I  have  found  few  farmers 
who  could  furnish  reliable  information  concerning  the  damage  caused 
by  these  birds  in  the  State,  but  because  Blackbirds  and  Crows  have 
always  been  under  the  ban  they  are  against  them. 

Let  us  see  what  the  careful  stomach  analyses  of  the  Agricultural 
Department  have  shown.  In  the  first  place,  seventy-three  per  cent,  of 
the  Red-wing's  food  is  vegetable  and  twenty-seven  per  cent,  animal ; 
the  latter  includes  five  per  cent,  grasshoppers  and  six  per  cent,  cater- 
pillars. Of  vegetable  matter,  grain  constitutes  fourteen  per  cent,  of 
the  seventy-three  per  cent.,  the  remainder  consisting  of  various  weed 
and  wild  grass  seed  and  a  small  number  of  wild  berries. 

The  damage  done  varies  greatly  in  different  sections;   in  most  parts 

1  Bird  Lore,  Christmas  Lists,  1904  .and  1007. 


212   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM: 

of  the  East  it  is  exceeded  by  the  good  done  by  the  birds  in  destroying 
insects.  Extermination  of  these  birds  is  very  undesirable,  and  indeed 
hopeless,  as  far  as  ordinary  methods  are  concerned,  and  as  the  best 
method  for  protecting  grain,  it  is  suggested  to  thoroughly  tar  the  seed 
when  planting,  and  to  adopt  methods  for  frightening  the  birds  off 
during  the  period  of  sprouting  and  early  growth. 


501     Sturnella  magna  (Linnaeus). 
Meadow  Lark. 

PLATE  51. 

Adult  male. — Length,  10.75.  Wing,  4.50-5.  Feathers  of  upper  parts  dusky, 
broadly  margined  with  rusty  brown  and  buff;  head,  black,  with  a  median  pale 
buff  stripe  and  a  similar  one  over  the  eye,  becoming  bright  yellow  in  front ;  a 
black  stripe  behind  the  eye ;  sides  of  face,  whitish ;  wing  and  middle  tail 
feathers,  grayish-brown,  with  a  series  of  .transverse  black  bars,  more  or  less 
connected  down  the  shaft ;  three  outer  tail  feathers  largely  white,  next  one 
with  a  white  stripe ;  lower  parts,  bright  yellow,  with  a  crescent-shaped  black 
patch  on  the  breast  joining  a  small  triangular  spot  on  each  side  of  the  throat ; 
sides  of  breast  heavily  streaked  with  black ;  flanks  and  crissum,  pale  buff, 
streaked  with  dusky.  In  winter,  similar,  but  all  the  feathers  broadly  edged 
with  brown  or  deep  buff,  obscuring  the  markings  and  making  the  under  parts 
darker. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  smaller.     Wing,  4. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar  to  adult  above  ;  below,  very  pale  yellow ; 
breast  and  sides,  buff,  streaked  with  dull  black. 

N.est  on  the  ground  among  the  grass,  generally  arched  over,  composed  of  dry 
grass ;  eggs,  four  to  six,  white,  spotted  with  reddish-brown,  1.10  x  .80. 

Abundant  resident,  but  less  common  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
State  in  winter,  during  which  season  it  frequents  the  low  flats  along 
rivers  and  seashore.  Migrants  return  to  the  upland  about  March  8th. 

The  Meadow  Lark  is  one  of  the  most  characteristic  birds  of  the  open 
field.  Always  on  the  alert,  it  seldom  allows  a  very  close  approach,  but 
takes  wing,  and  with  alternate  sailing  and  rapid  fluttering  of  the 
wings  goes  on  ahead  to  a  place  of  safety.  Its  white  lateral  tail 
feathers  and  the  single  harsh  note  as  it  takes  wing  are  characteristic, 
while  the  well-known  song  resembling  somewhat  the  syllables  "can't  see 
me"  is  familiar  to  everyone. 

Although  an  eminently  terrestrial  species,  the  Meadow  Lark  occa- 
sionally perches  in  the  tree-tops,  especially  in  the  mating  season,  when 
one  bird  is  pursuing  another,  and  also  in  winter,  when  the  snow  has 
buried  the  feeding  grounds. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  213 

In  midwinter,  in  the  southern  counties  of  the  State,  the  Larks 
gather  in  considerable  flocks,  and  in  the  flat  stretches  about  Salem  I 
have  seen  flocks  that  numbered  at  least  two  hundred  individuals.  The 
Meadow  Lark  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  birds  to  the  farmer.  Three- 
quarters  of  its  food  consists  of  insects,  and  during  the  late  summer  it 
feeds  mainly  upon  grasshoppers.  The  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture  estimates  that  twenty  Meadow  Larks  consume  one  thou- 
sand grasshoppers  a  day  during  the  season.  A  grasshopper  consumes 
an  amount  of  grass  equal  to  its  own  weight  each  day,  so  that  the 
amount  consumed  by  one  thousand  would  be  about  two  and  a  quarter 
pounds  per  day,  or  in  the  usual  life  of  a  grasshopper,  which  is  about 
thirty  days,  the  amount  of  grass  consumed  would  be  sixty-six  pounds, 
which  is  the  amount  saved  to  the  farmer  each  day  by  the  twenty 
Meadow  Larks. 

A  curious  specimen,  in  which  the  yellow  is  entirely  replaced  by 
black,  was  secured  at  Haddonfield  and  presented  to  the  Philadelphia 
Academy,  by  B.  B.  Willis,  October  6th,  1857. 


506     Icterus  spurius   (Linnaeus). 
Orchard  Oriole. 

PLATE. 

Adult  male. — Length,  6-7.  Wing,  3.  Head,  neck,  back  and  scapulars,  uni- 
form black ;  tail,  black ;  wings,  black,  with  pale  buff  edgings ;  shoulders,  as 
well  as  rump  and  under  surface  of  body,  rich  chestnut. 

Adult  female. — Yellowish  olive-green  above ;  canary  yellow  below ;  wings 
dusky,  with  two  whitish  wing  bars  and  whitish  edgings  to  tertials. 

Young  in  first  summer  and  autumn. — Similar  to  adult  female. 

Male  in  first  breeding  season. — Similar  to  adult  female,  but  with  entire 
throat  and  lores  black,  often  with  more  or  less  chestnut  feathers  below  and 
black  ones  above,  and  with  some  black  on  the  tail. 

Nest  a  pocket-like  structure  of  dry  grass  hung  from  the  end  of  a  tree  limb ; 
eggs,  three  to  five,  grayish-white,  blotched  or  irregularly  streaked  with  black 
and  brown,  .80  x  .55. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  May  1st  (May  5th),  departs 
September  1st. 

The  Orchard  Oriole  is  a  bird  of  the  garden  and  orchard,  seldom 
found  out  in  the  woodland,  except  after  the  nesting  season  is  over, 
when  parties  of  old  and  young  may  be  found  in  various  localities. 


214:        REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Throughout  the  early  summer  the  varied  warbling  song  may  be 
heard  constantly  from  the  tops  of  the  apple  trees,  or  from  the  ever- 
greens about  the  lawn,  while  the  performer  manages  to  keep  himself 
well  concealed. 

This  Oriole  seems  to  be  more  common  in  the  southern  half  of  the 
State,  while  the  Baltimore  is  certainly  more  common  in  the  northern 
counties. 

507     Icterus  galbula    (Linnaeus). 
Baltimore  Oriole. 

PLATE  52. 

Adult  male. — Length,  7-8.  Wing,  3.75.  Entire  head,  throat  and  upper  parts, 
except  the  rump,  black ;  rump  and  lower  parts,  bright  orange ;  lesser  and 
middle  wing-coverts,  orange;  greater-coverts  broadly  tipped  and  tertials  edged 
with  white ;  three  outer  tail  feathers  yellow  on  the  terminal  half,  next  feather 
with  a  yellow  spot. 

Adult  female. — Above,  dull  yellow-olive,  brightest  on  the  tail';  wings,  dusky, 
with  two  white  wing  bars  and  white  tips  to  the  tertials;  lower  parts,  dull 
orange  yellow,  paler  on  the  abdomen.  Occasionally  there  is  some  trace  of 
black  on  the  head,  throat  and,  tail. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  adult  female,  but  never  showing  any 
black. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Dull  grayish-olive  above,  brighter  on  tail ;  wing 
bars  and  tips,  gray ;  below,  pale  grayish-olive. 

Males  in  first  breeding  season  retain  the  dusky  primaries  and  many  of  them 
the  uniform  yellow-olive  tail  feathers  of  the  first  autumn  dress,  while  the  middle 
of  the  abdomen  is  dull  yellow. 

Nest  long  and  pocket-like,  woven  of  string,  horsehair,  shreds  of  bark  and 
plant  fiber ;  eggs,  four  to  six,  grayish-white,  with  irregular  "pen  lines"  of  black 
and  brown,  .90  x  .60. 

Common  summer  resident,  except  in  the  Pine  Barrens  and  the 
southern  counties,  where  it  is  mainly  or  wholly  a  transient.  Arrives 
May  1st  (May  5th),  departs  September  1st. 

Like  the  Orchard  Oriole,  the  present  species  is  a  home  bird,  always 
about  our  houses,  nesting  in  the  shade  trees,  especially  in  the  weeping 
willows  and  buttonwoods.  The  rollicking  song  is  quite  as  pleasing  as 
that  of  the  other  species,  while  the  brilliant  orange  and  black  of  his 
plumage  renders  the  Baltimore  Oriole  one  of  our  most  welcome  neigh- 
bors. His  utility  is  also  noteworthy,  as  over  eighty  per  cent,  of  his 
food  consists  of  insects,  largely  caterpillars,  for  which  he  searches 
diligently  in  the  tree-tops. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  215 

509      Euphagus  carolinus  (Muller). 
Rusty  Blackbird. 

Adult  male.— Length,  8.25-9.75.  Wing,  4.50.  Uniform  glossy  black  with 
bluish-green  reflections,  becoming  slightly  violet  on  the  head,  sometimes  with 
traces  of  buff  edges  to  the  feathers.  In  autumn  the  upper  parts  are  heavily 
veiled  with  rusty  brown  edgings,  the  lower  parts  with  buff  or  cinnamon. 

Adult  female. — Uniform  slaty-gray,  slightly  glossed  with  green  above.  In 
the  autumn  veiled  with  rusty  brown  and  cinnamon  as  in  the  male. 

Common  transient  visitant,  especially  along  the  large  river  val- 
leys, and  occasional  in  winter — Morristown  (Caskey),  Moorestown 
(Evans)/  Plainfield  (Miller),2  Princeton  (Babson).3  Spring,  March 
12th  to  April  15th;  autumn,  October. 

The  Rusty  Blackbird  is  only  with  us  for  a  short  time  in  spring  and 
fall;  frequenting  open,  wet  meadows  and  thickets,  especially  along 
the  tide-water  creeks.  It  usually  associates  in  small  flocks,  but  also 
occurs  singly,  and  sometimes  a  solitary  individual  may  be  seen  in  a 
flock  of  Sparrows  on  the  river  meadows  in  midwinter.  Even  as  far 
north  as  Englewood  Mr.  Chapman  has  found  them  wintering.4 

In  spring  we  occasionally  hear  the  "song"  of  the  male,  a  curious 
combination  of  whistles  and  harsh  notes  resembling  the  creaking  of 
a  rusty  hinge.  The  plain  dull  color,  square  tail  and  yellow  eye  will 
aid  in  identifying  this  species. 

511     Quiscalus  quiscula   (Linnaeus). 
Purple  Grackle,  Crow  Blackbird. 

PLATE  53. 

Adult  male. — Length,  12-13.50.  Wing,  5.75.  Plumage,  iridescent;  head, 
neck  and  chest,  metallic  reddish-violet,  bluish  or  golden  green,  or  a  mingling  of 
all  three ;  rest  of  body,  metallic  purple,  blue  or  green ;  rump  with  bars  of 
various  shades  of  iridescence ;  under  parts,  duller. 

Adult  female.— Length,  11-11.50.  Wing,  5.  Very  much  duller,  metallic 
colors  much  suppressed. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Uniform  sooty  black,  with  no  iridescence,  somewhat 
paler  beneath. 


1  Cassinia,  1903,  p.  72. 

2  Auk,  1889,  p.  303. 

3  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  60. 

4  Auk,  1889,  p.  303. 


216        EEPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Nest  large  and  well  built  of  grass  and  mud ;  usually  associated  in  colonies 
in  evergreen  trees  or  orchards  close  to  farm  houses;  eggs,  three  to  five,  bluish- 
green,  irregularly  spotted  and  scrawled  with  brown  or  black,  1.10  x  .80. 

Abundant  summer  resident.  Arrives  February  22d  (March  14th), 
departs  November  10th.  Occasional  in  winter.  Cape  May  (Spaeth),1 
Princeton  (Babson),2  Montclair,  Passaic  and  Moorestown.3 

The  Grackle  is  our  first  migrant,  arriving  almost  invariably  about 
the  middle  or  end  of  February.  The  flock  soon  takes  possession  of  the 
trees  in  which  their  last  year's  nests  were  built,  and  their  harsh  ex- 
plosive cries,  attended  by  a  curious  contortion  of  the  body,  form  one  of 
the  familiar  sounds  of  spring. 

Later  the  whole  colony  is  a  scene  of  great  activity  as  the  parents  pass 
to  and  fro  carrying  in  food  and  removing  excreta  from  the  nests. 
Then  all  depart  and  flock  about  the  woodland,  retiring  at  night  to  the 
roosts  which  are  occupied  year  after  year.  The  commotion  and  noise 
about  these  roosts,,  as  the  thousands  of  birds  come  in  at  dusk,  is  almost 
deafening  and  at  a  distance  resembles  the  escape  of  steam  from  some 
giant  engine. 

As  to  the  food  of  the  Grackles  the  record  of  Professor  Beal  shows 
twenty-seven  per  cent,  insects  and  seventy  per  cent,  vegetable  matter. 
Of  the  insects  nearly  half  are  grasshoppers  and  caterpillars.  Of  the 
vegetable  diet  over  one-half  consists  of  corn.  Curiously  enough,  how- 
ever, less  complaint  has  been  made  of  this  bird  than  of  the  Eed-wing, 
the  reason  being  that  a  large  part  of  the  grain  eaten  is  scattered 
kernels.  Where  the  birds  do  most  damage  is  where  they  are  over- 
crowded in  a  limited  area,  and  measures  must  then  be  taken  to  lessen 
their  numbers,  but  such  instances  in  the  East  are  rare,  and  the  same 
methods  for  crop  protection  suggested  in  the  case  of  the  Red-wing 
will  usually  prove  satisfactory. 

511b     Quiscalus  quiscula  seneus    (Ridgway). 
Bronzed  Grackle. 

Differs  from  the  last  in  having  the  back,  rump  and  abdomen  plain  metallic 
bronze  without  iridescent  edges  to  the  feathers. 

Mr.  Chapman  states  that  it  is  a  transient  in  the  vicinity  of  New 
York,  and  I  shot  a  single  specimen  west  of  Medford,  February  8th, 
1898. 


1  Cassinia,  1904,  p.  68. 

2  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  60. 

3  Bird  Lore,  Christmas  Lists,  1902,  1903,  1904. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  217 

513     Megaquiscalus   major    (Vieillot). 
Boat-tailed  Grackle. 

Adult  male. — Length,  16.     Wing,  7.50.     Glossy  blue-black,  tinged  with  purple 
on  the  head,  throat  and  breast ;    wings  and  tail  duller. 
Female. — Smaller  and  browner ;    under  parts,  dull  buff. 

A  very  rare  straggler  from  the  south. 

Mr.  Philip  Laurent  states  that  two  of  these  birds  made  their  ap- 
pearance at  Anglesea,  Cape  May  county,  along  with  the  Purple 
Grackles,  in  the  spring  of  1891,  and  one  of  them  was  shot  by  Mr. 
Samuel  Ludlam.1 

This  is  the  only  record  for  the  State. 

Family   FRINGILLID^E. 

FINCHES,  SPARROWS  AND  GROSBEAKS. 

This  is  one  of  our  largest  families  of  birds,  comprising  the  Finches 
and  their  allies.  They  are  medium  sized,  with  conical  bills  adapted 
for  seed  eating,  though  many  are  largely  insectivorous.  A  few  species 
are  brilliantly  colored,  but  the  majority  are  brown  and  gray  above, 
with  plain  or  streaked  breasts.  In  most  cases  the  young  are  similar 
to  the  adults  in  general  appearance.  They  are  usually  ground  birds, 
often  taking  to  the  trees  when  alarmed,  though  some  species  are  dis- 
tinctly arboreal.  Many  are  fine  songsters,  and  all  are  economically  of 
much  value  to  the  farmer,  and  deserve  our  careful  protection.  One 
introduced  species,  the  English  Sparrow,  does  not,  however,  come 
within  this  category,  being  in  every  sense  a  nuisance. 

a.  Mandibles  crossed. 

6.  White  wing  bars.  WHITE-WINGED  CROSSBILL,  p.  224 

66.  No  white  wing  bars.  RED  CROSSBILL,  p.  223 

aa.  Mandibles  not  crossed. 

6.  Plumage  more  or  less  bright  blue. 

c.  Wing  over  3.  BLUE  GROSBEAK,  p.  245 

cc.  Wing  under  3.  IXDIGOBIRD,  p.  245 

66.  Bright  red  or  pink  in  plumage. 

1  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  88. 


218   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

c.  Crested,  wings  and  tail   (and  in  male  whole  body)   red. 

CARDINAL,  p.  243 

cc.  Breast  and  under  wing-coverts  pink,  rest  of  plumage  black 
and  white.  ROSE-BREASTED  GROSBEAK,  p.  244 

ccc.  Cap,  back  and  breast  suffused  with  pink  or  crimson,  or  cap 
alone  bright  crimson. 

d.  Wing  over  4.50.  PINE  GROSBEAK,  p.  220 

dd.  Wing,  3.15-3.40.  PURPLE  FINCH,  p.  222 

ddd.  Wing  under  3.  REDPOLL,  p.  224 

666.  With  bright  yellow  in  the  plumage. 

c.  Entirely  yellow,  except  wings,  tail  and  cap. 

GOLDFINCH,  p.  225 

cc.  Breast  yellow,  throat  black.  DICKCISSEL,  p.  246 

ccc.  Whole  under  parts  olive-yellow,  bright  yellow  posteriorly. 

EVENING  GROSBEAK,  p.  220 
cccc.  Crown  and  back  of  head  dull  yellow,  rest  of  plumage  gray. 

PINE  GROSBEAK  (female),  p.  220 

ccccc.  General  plumage  gray,   suffused  with  yellow  on  the  breast 

and  back.  EVENING  GROSBEAK  (female),  p.  220 

6666.  Plumage  largely   white    (sometimes   tipped  with   buff)    wings  and 

tail  partly  black.  SNOW  BUNTING,  p.  227 

66666.  Throat,  chest  and  whole  head  black,  brown  or  slate-gray,  in  sharp 

contrast  with  the  white  of  the  breast  and  abdomen. 

c.  Sides  bright  rufous.'  CHEWINK,  p.  242 

cc.  Sides  slate-gray,  like  the  chest.  JUNCO,  p.  238 

666666.  Plumage  "sparrow-like,"  streaked  brown   and  black  above,  below 
streaked  or  plain. 

c.  Center  of  throat  from  bill  to  breast  black,  sometimes  fringed 
with  pale  tips,  belly  not  streaked. 
d.  No  white  on  outer  tail  feathers. 

ENGLISH  SPARROW,  p.  221 
dd.  Outer  tail  feathers  tipped  with  white. 

LAPLAND  LONGSPUR,  p.  227 

cc.  Under  parts  plain,  a  single  black  spot  in  the  middle  of  the 
breast. 

d.  Outer  tail  feathers  tipped  with  white. 

LARK  SPARROW,  p.  235 

dd.  No  white  on  tail.  TREE  SPARROW,  p.  236 

ccc.  Breast  sharply  streaked  with  brown  or  black. 

d.  Several  outer  tail  feathers  with  white  tips. 

e.  Tail  over  3.50.  CHEWINK  (young),  p.  242 

ee.  Tail  under  3.  LARK  SPARROW  (young),  p.  235 

dd.  Outermost  pair  of  tail  feathers  white  tipped. 
e.  Wing  over  3.50. 

LAPLAND  LONGSPUR  (female),  p.  227 
ee.  Wing  under  3.40.  VESPER  SPARROW,  p.  228 

ddd.  No  white  on  tail. 
e.  Wing  over  3.30. 

f.  Upper  surface  and  streaks  on  breast  rusty. 

Fox  SPARROW,  p.  241 

ff.  Upper  surface  brown,  under  wing-coverts  yel- 
low or  pink. 
ROSE-BREASTED  GROSBEAK  (fern,  or  young),  p.  244 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  219 


ee.  Wing  under  3.30. 

/.  Streaks    mere    shaft    lines,    middle    of   breast 
tinged  with  yellow. 

DICKCISSEL  (young),  p.  246 
//.  Wing  bars  and  base  of  tail  yellowish. 

PINE  SISKIN,  p.  226 

fff.  A  bright  buff   line   from  bill   over  eye   and 
around  the  gray  ear-coverts. 

SHARP-TAILED  SPARROWS,  pp.  232-234 
////.  No  bright  buff  on  side  of  face  nor  yellow  on 
tail. 

g.  Outer    tail    feathers    longer   than    middle 
pair.         PURPLE  FINCH  (female),  p.  222 
gg.  Outer  tail  feathers  not  longer  than  middle 
pair. 

h.  General    ground    color    above    pale 
brownish-gray. 

IPSWICH  SPARROW,  p.  228 
hh.  General    ground   color   above    chest- 
nut-brown or  dark  brown. 
i.  A  strong  black  stripe  down  each 
side  of  the  throat  from  the  bill. 
j.  Tail  over  2.50. 

SONG  SPARROW,  p.  239 
jj.  Tail  under  2.50. 

SAVANNAH  SPARROW,  p.  229 
ii.  No  well  marked  stripe  on  sides  of 
throat. 

SHARP-TAILED  AND  SEASIDE  SPAR- 
Rows1  (young),  pp.  232-234 
hhh.  Ground    color    of    head    olive-green, 
and  back  rufous  brown. 

HENSLOW'S  SPARROW,  p.  231 

cccc.  Breast  gray,  obscurely  mottled  but  not  distinctly  streaked, 
throat  white. 

d.  Upper  parts  slaty-gray  and  olive. 

SEASIDE  SPARROW,  p.  234 
dd.  Upper  parts  brown,  streaked  with  black  and  buff. 

e.  Wing,  2.30-2.50.  SWAMP  SPARROW,  p.  240 

ee.  Wing,  2.80-3.15.  WHITE-THROATED  SPARROW,  p.  236 
ccccc.  Under  parts  plain,  neither  streaked  nor  mottled. 
d.  Breast  washed  with  buff. 

e.  Tail,  2.50  or  over.  FIELD  SPARROW,  p.  238 

ee.  Tail,  2  or  less.  GRASSHOPPER  SPARROW,  p.  230 

dd.  Breast  gray  or  white. 
e.  Wing,  2.80  or  over. 
/.  Tail  over  2.75. 

g.  Center  of  crown  white. 

h.  Yellow  spot  before  the  eye.  . 

WHITE-THROATED  SPARROW,  p.  236 
hh.  No  yellow  spot  before  the  eye. 

WHITE-CROWNED  SPARROW,  p.  235 


1  Look  here  also  for  young  of  Chipping,  Field  and  Grasshopper  Sparrows. 


220   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

gg.  Crown  brown,  lighter  in  center. 

WHITE-CROWNED  SPARROW  (young),  p.  235 
ff.  Tail  under  2.50. 

ENGLISH  SPARROW  (female),  p.  221 
ee.  Wing  under  2.80. 

f.  Light  stripe  over  the  eye  and  black  spot  at 
nostril.  CHIPPING  SPARROW,  p.  237 

ff.  No  light  stripe  or  black  at  nostrils. 

FIELD  SPARROW,  p.  238 
66&&666.  Upper  and  under  parts  plain,  no  streaking  anywhere. 

c.  White  on  outer  tail  feathers.       GOLDFINCH  (winter),  p.  225 
cc.  No  white  on  tail. 

d.  Slaty-olive  above.  SEASIDE  SPARROW,  p.  234 

dd.  Brown  above,  sometimes  tinged  with  blue  on  rump. 

e.  Wing  over  3.        BLUE  GROSBEAK  (female),  p.  245 
ee.  Wing  under  3.  INDIGOBIRD  (female),  p.  245 


514     Hesperiphona  vespertina  (Cooper). 
Evening  Grosbeak. 

Adult  male. — Length,  8.  Wing,  4.50.  Back,  sides  of  head  and  throat,  olive- 
brown  ;  rump,  scapulars  and  under  parts,  wax  yellow ;  forehead  and  sides  of 
crown,  bright  yellow;  middle  of  crown,  tail,  upper  tail-coverts  and  primaries, 
black ;  secondaries,  white ;  bill  very  large  and  heavy,  yellowish. 

Female. — Grayish-brown,  lighter  below  and  slightly  tinged  with  yellow ; 
wings  and  tail,  black,  much  spotted  and  tipped  with  white. 

A  rare  straggler  from  the  northwest. 

A  flock  of  eight  birds  was  seen  by  Mr.  W.  0.  Raymond  at  Summit, 
March  6th,  1890,  under  circumstances  that  rendered  the  indentifica- 
tion  certain.1  This  is  the  only  New  Jersey  record. 


515     Pinicola  enucleator  leucura  (Muller). 
Pine  Grosbeak. 

Adult  male. — Length,  8.25-9.  Wing,  4.50-5.  General  color  dull  pinkish- 
red  ;  center  of  abdomen,  flanks  and  under  tail-coverts,  gray ;  wings  and  tail, 
slate-gray,  edged  with  lighter;  two  conspicuous  white  wing  bars.  The  pink 
feathers  are  gray  basally,  and  this  color  is  apparent  when  the  plumage  is  dis- 
turbed. 

Adult'  female  and  young  in  first  winter. — General  plumage,  gray ;  rump  and 
head  tinged  with  dull  yellow.  Young  males  sometimes  show  a  trace  of  pink. 


O.  and  O.,  1890,  p.  46.     Cf.  also,  Chapman,  Birds  vicinity  of  N.  Y.,  p.  58. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  221 

Rare  and  irregular  winter  visitant. 

The  Pine  Grosbeak  is  the  largest  of  our  rare  visitors  from  far 
north,  and,  in  south  Jersey  at  least,  the  rarest.  When  it  does  visit 
us  it  is  usually  in  considerable  flocks.  The  birds  are  rather  stupid, 
and  are  easily  approached. 

The  last  general  flight  of  Pine  Grosbeaks  was  in  the  winter  of 
1903-4,  but  while  common  in  the  northern  counties,  where  it  arrived 
October  15th  (Englewood,  Chapman),  it  was  not  noted  in  the  south- 
ern half  of  the  State.1 

It  was  abundant  at  Weehawken,2  October,  1836,  to  March.  1837. 

Mr.  H.  Trippitt3  records  some  at  Montclair  in  autumn,  1884,  and 
Professor  A.  H.  Phillips4  saw  a  flock  at  Princeton  in  1886.  On 
March  8th,  1896,  two  were  seen  near  Ridgewood  by  Mr.  DeL.  Eerier,5 
while  in  the  winter  of  1899-1900  Mr.  W.  A.  Babson  saw  them  at 
Princeton  and  Summit.4  On  Christmas  clay,  1903,  they  were  seen  at 
Montclair,  and  in  1904  at  Leonia.6 


Passer  domesticus    (Linnaeus). 
House  Sparrow,  English  Sparrow. 

Adult  male.— Length,  5.5O-6.25.  Wing,  2.85-3.  Crown,  gray,  with  a  chest- 
nut patch  on  each  side  behind  the  eye ;  rump,  gray  ;  back  streaked  with  black 
and  chestnut ;  wing-coverts  largely  chestnut,  tipped  with  white ;  lower  parts, 
white  or  grayish-white;  middle  of  throat  and  upper  breast,  black. 

Female. — Above,  grayish-brown,  streaked  with  black  and  buff ;  below,  grayish- 
white. 

Nest  in  any  hole  or  shelter  about  buildings,  etc. ;  eggs,  five,  white,  finely  mot- 
tled with  olive-brown,  1.82  x  .62. 

Abundant  resident,  except  in  most  remote  spots. 

The  first  Sparrows  were  imported  to  this  country  by  the  directors 
of  the  Brooklyn  Institute  in  the  autumn  of  1850,  and  eight  pairs  were 
liberated  in  Brooklyn  the  following  spring,  but  they  did  not  thrive. 
In  1852  a  larger  number  were  brought  over,  fifty  of  which  were  liber- 
ated in  the  "Narrows"  and  the  rest  in  Brooklyn  in  the  spring  of  1853. 


1  Cf.  Abst.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  XV.,  p.  8 ;    Bird  Lore,  1903,  p.  199 ;    Bird  Lore, 
1904,  p.  98. 

2  Ward,  Trans.,  N.  Y.,  Acad.  Sci.,  IV.,  p.  5. 
8  Oologist,  1886,  p.  39. 

4  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  60. 

6  Auk,  1896,  p.  175. 

6  Bird  Lore,  Christmas  Lists,  1904  and  1907. 


222   EEPOET  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

In  1860  and  1864  they  were  introduced  in  New  York  City,  and  1869 
the  largest  importation  of  all,  one  thousand  birds  were  liberated  in 
Philadelphia.  Other  smaller  importations  were  made  at  more  remote 
points,  but  the  New  Jersey  birds  undoubtedly  spread  from  the  above 
colonies. 

The  subsequent  history  of  the  bird  and  its  disastrous  effect  upon 
our  native  species  is  too  well  known.1 


517     Carpodacus   purpureus    (Gmelin). 
Purple  Finch. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5.50-6.25.  Wing,  3.25.  General  color  pinkish-red, 
more  crimson  on  the  head  and  rump ;  streaked  above  with  dusky  and  feathers 
edged  with  gray ;  wings  and  tail,  dusky,  narrowly  edged  with  pink,  two  dull 
pink  wing  bars ;  center  of  abdomen  and  crissum,  white,  a  few  dusky  streaks  on 
the  flanks. 

Adult  female  and  young  in  first  winter. — Above,  olive-brown,  streaked  with 
dusky,  with  some  white  edgings ;  below,  white,  tinged  with  buffy,  boldly  streaked 
with  dark  brown. 

Nest  of  grass  and  twigs  lined  with  hair,  placed  on  the  horizontal  limb  of  an 
evergreen ;  eggs,  four  to  six,  blue,  spotted  with  brown  around  the  larger  end, 
.85  x  .65. 

Eegular  winter  visitant,  but  most  plentiful  in  migrations.  Eare 
summer  resident  in  the  northern  counties;  has  been  seen,  in  summer, 
at  High  Knob,  Sussex  county  (Chapman),  Plainfield  (Miller)  and 
Eidgewood  (Hales).2  Arrives  September  25th,  departs  May  1st. 

Throughout  the  greater  part  of  the  State  the  Purple  Finch  is  asso- 
ciated with  leafless  trees  and  snow-covered  ground,  or  with  early  spring 
and  bursting  buds,  and  only  in  the  most  northern  portion  is  it  a  bird 
of  summer.  Throughout  the  winter  the  Purple  Finches  associate  in 
flocks,  generally  only  a  few  of  the  old  males  in  each,  the  bulk  being 
females  and  young  in  the  brown  plumage — distinguished  from  Spar- 
rows by  the  great  amount  of  white  edgings  in  the  plumage  and  the 
lack  of  buff  and  rusty  tints. 

They  feed  on  seeds  among  the  branches  of  the  trees  as  well  as  on  the 
ground  and  in  spring  are  fond  of  buds. 

The  song  is  a  rather  prolonged  melodious  warble. 


1  W.  B.  Barrows,  The  English  Sparrow  in  N.  A. ;    Bull.  1,  Div.  Econ.  Ornith. 
and  Mam.,  U.  S.  Dept.  Agr.,  1889. 

2  O.  and  O.,  1888,  p.  56. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  223 

521     Loxia  curvirostra  minor  (Brehm). 
Red  Crossbill. 

PLATE  54. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5.50-6.25.  Wing,  3.50.  General  color,  dull  brick  red, 
brightest  on  the  rump ;  head  and  breast,  wings  and  tail,  blackish. 

Adult  female. — Grayish-olive  instead  of  red,  becoming  bright  yellow-olive  on 
the  rump. 

Young  male  in  first  autumn  and  first  breeding  season. — Variously  mottled 
olive,  yellow  and  red. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Olive-gray  above,  whitish  below,  streaked  every- 
where with  dusky  olive. 

Irregular  visitant,  usually  in  winter. 

The  Crossbills  visit  us  always  in  flocks,,  and  are  particularly  partial 
to  evergreens,  prying  apart  the  scales  of  the  cones  and  scooping  out 
the  seed  and  such  insects  as  may  lurk  there.  Their  peculiar  crossed 
mandibles  and  their  habit  of  climbing  about  reminds  one  not  a  little 
of  diminutive  Parrots. 

In  midwinter,  flocks  often  visit  the  evergreens  about  our  houses, 
being  plentiful  one  year  and  absent  the  next.  In  the  pine  barrens,  too, 
they  are  found  frequently. 

The  Crossbill  has  never  been  found  breeding  in  New  Jersey,  al- 
though Mr.  E.  P.  Bicknell1  discovered  a  nest,  with  eggs,  at  Riverdale, 
New  York,  April  30th,  1875,  but  a  short  distance  beyond  the  State 
boundary.  The  birds  have,  however,  occurred  a  number  of  times  in 
summer.  John  Krider2  states  that  he  has  taken  them  at  Red  Bank, 
on  the  Delaware,  in  June.  W.  B.  Evans3  saw  them  May  6th?  1900, 
at  Hanover;  Dr.  W.  E.  Hughes,3  at  Forked  River,  June  6th,  1900; 
George  E.  Hix,4  in  northern  Somerset  county,  July  19th,  1903,  and 
S.  N.  Rhoads,  at  Wawayanda  Lake,  June  5th,  1909. 


1  Amer.  Nat.,  1876,  p.  237 ;   B.  N.  O.  C.,  1880,  p.  7. 

2  Field  Notes,  p.  44. 

3  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  IV.,  p.  6. 

4  Bird  Lore,  1903,  p.  166. 


224   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

522     Loxia    leucoptera   Gmelin. 
White-winged  Crossbill. 

Adult  male.— Length,  6-6.50.  Wing,  3.50.  General  plumage  bright  pin'kish- 
red  ;  center  of  abdomen  and  crissum,  gray,  the  latter  bordered  with  whitish ; 
wings,  scapulars  and  tail,  black ;  two  broad  white  wing  bars  and  white  tips  to 
the  inner  tertials ;  a  black  spot  behind  the  eye  and  another  on  the  side  of  the 
neck. 

Adult  female. — General  plumage  grayish,  broadly  streaked  with  blackish ; 
rump,  bright  yellow ;  wings  as  in  the  male. 

Young  male  in  first  winter. — Body  mainly  chrome-yellow  with  little  red. 

Rare  and  irregular  winter  visitant. 

This  Crossbill  is  much  rarer  than  the  last  and  visits  us  only  occa- 
sionally. Audubon,  writing  at  Camden,  in  the  first  week  of  November, 
1827,  says :  "They  are  so  abundant  that  I  am  able  to  shoot,  every  day, 
great  numbers  out  of  the  flocks  that  are  continually  alighting  in  a 
copse  of  Jersey  scrub  pine,  opposite  my  window. 

Cassin  states  that  they  were  present  in  the  winter  of  1836-7,  and 
were  not  seen  again  until  1854-5,  when  they  were  unusually  plentiful 
among  the  pines  about  Camden,  and  so  tame  that  they  could  be  killed 
with  stones.1 

Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads  saw  a  small  flock  at  Haddonfield  in  the  winter  of 
1896-7,  and  from  December  10th,  1899,  to  March  20th,  1900,  they 
were  present  at  Princeton,2  and  were  seen  the  same  year  in  the  Orange 
Mountains  (Babson),  and  at  Englewood  February  21st — March.3  Mr. 
C.  H.  Rogers  records  four  at  Leonia,  December  25th?  1906.4 

A  single  bird  that  had  been  caught  by  a  cat  at  Cape  May,  February 
5th?  1909,  was  presented  to  me  by  Mr.  H.  Walker  Hand. 

528      Acanthis  linaria  (Linnaeus). 
Redpoll. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.50-5.  Wing,  2.80-3.  Above,  grayish-brown,  streaked 
with  dusky,  and  somewhat  mottled  with  white ;  lighter  on  the  rump,  which  is 
tinged  with  pink ;  crown,  bright  crimson ;  wings  and  tail,  dusky,  with  two 


1  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila.,  VII.,  p.  203. 

2  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  61. 

3  Chapman,  Bird  Lore,  1900,  p.  59. 

4  Bird  Lore,  1907,  Christmas  Lists. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  XEW  JERSEY.  225 

lighter  wing  bars ;    under  surface,  rosy-pink  on  breast  and  throat ;    abdomen, 
white ;    chin,  dull  black,  sides  streaked  with  dusky. 

Adult  female  and  young  in  first  winter. — Similar,  but  without  the  pink  rump 
and  breast,  and  with  the  crown  patch  less  developed. 

A  rare  and  irregular  visitant.  It  was  recorded  as  present  in  the 
winters  of  1836-37  and  1878-79;  after  the  great  blizzard  of  March, 
1888;  also  in  1899-1900,  1906-07,  1908-9.  My  most  southerly  records 
in  the  State  are  Haddonfield  (Rhoads,  1888),  and  Swedesboro  (C.  D. 
Lippincott,  1909). 

The  Redpoll  is  a  bird  of  severe  winters.  When  driven  south  by  the 
scarcity  of  food  it  appears  in  considerable  flocks,  feeding  on  the  weed 
seed  in  field  and  gardens. 

It  has  the  Goldfinch  habits,  and  in  appearance  is  essentially  a  Pine 
Finch,  with  crimson  cap  and  black  chin. 


528b     Acanthis  linaria  rostrata    (Coues). 
Greater  Redpoll. 

Larger  than  the  Common  Redpoll.  Length,  5.25-5.75.  Wing,  3.05-3.30  in 
male ;  2.95-3.25  in  female.  Bill  shorter,  thicker  and  less  acute. 

Rare  straggler  from  the  north,  associating  with  the  other  form. 

Two  specimens  in  the  Princeton  University  collection  were  shot  by 
Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott,  at  Princeton,  February  6th,  1872,  and  are  re- 
corded by  Mr.  Babson.1  Professor  Phillips  assures  me  that  they  are 
correctly  identified. 


529     Astragalinus  tristis    (Linnaeus). 
Goldfinch,  Yellowbird. 

PLATE  55. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.50-5.25.  Wing,  2.75.  General  color,  bright  canary- 
yellow  ;  under  tail-coverts,  white ;  cap,  wings  and  tail,  black ;  two  white  wing 
bars  and  inner  webs  of  tail  feathers,  white  terminally. 

In  winter. — Light  olive-brown  above,  paler  beneath,  tinged  with  yellow  on 
the  throat ;  wing  feathers  strongly  edged  or  tipped  with  white  (usually  worn 
off  by  summer). 

1  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  62. 

15 


226    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Adult  female. — Similar  to  winter  male  but  duller ;  sometimes  more  yellow 
below. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Cinnamon-brown  above  and  on  sides  and  flanks ;  rest 
of  under  surface,  yellow ;  wing  bars  and  tips,  pale  cinnamon. 

Nest  of  grass  and  other  vegetable  fibers  thickly  lined  with  thistle-down,  placed 
usually -in  an  upright  fork  of  a  tree,  ten  to  twenty  feet  up;  eggs,  three  to  six, 
plain  bluish-white,  .65  x  .50. 

Common  resident. 

In  summer  the  Goldfinch  is  a  familiar  denizen  of  the  gardens  and 
orchards.  The  bright  yellow  and  black  plumage,  the  canary-like  call, 
and  the  undulating  flight,  calling  as  he  flies  "per-chic-o-ree,  per-chic- 
o-ree,"  as  Chapman  writes  it,  all  aid  to  fix  the  Goldfinch  or  Salad 
Bird  in  the  mind  of  even  the  most  casual  observer. 

In  autumn  and  winter  Goldfinches  gather  in  flocks,  and  course 
through  the  fields  and  along  the  fence  rows,  descending  on  the  patches 
of  thistles  and  other  weeds  that  offer  a  repast  of  seeds,  and  then  dash 
away  all  together  as  one  approaches.  At  this  season  they  are  in 
their  sombre  winter  garb,  but  the  undulating  flight  and  canary  call 
note  still  remain  unmistakable. 

In  September  and  April  they  may  be  seen  in  the  mottled  molting 
plumage,  presenting  all  sorts  of  curious  combinations  of  brown  and 
yellow. 

533     Spinus   pinus    (Wilson). 
Pine  Siskin,  Pine  Finch. 

Adults. — Length,  4.50-5.25.  Wing,  2.75.  Above,  grayish-brown,  heavily 
streaked  with  blackish ;  wings  with  two  narrow  lighter  bars,  and  a  pale  yellow 
band  across  the  base  of  the  primaries  very  conspicuous  in  flight ;  under  surface, 
white,  heavily  streaked  with  dusky  and  tinged  with  buff  on  the  breast  and  flanks. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  pale  yellow  below. 

Winter  visitant;  irregular  in  its  abundance.  Arrives  October  15th, 
departs  April  25th.  Sometimes  seen  as  late  as  May  17th. 

The  Pine  Siskin  resembles  the  Goldfinch  in  habits,  but  is  always  to 
be  distinguished  by  its  striped  plumage  and  the  yellow  patch  on  the 
expanded  wing.  It  is  most  frequent  about  alder  thickets  or  feeding 
about  the  cones  of  evergreens. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  227 

534     Plectrophenax  nivalis  (Linnaeus). 
Snow  Bunting. 

Adult  male  in  winter. — Length,  6-7.  Wing,  4-4.25.  General  color,  white, 
with  black  tail  and  wings  largely  black ;  all  the  white  of  the  upper  parts  suf- 
fused with  rusty,  the  black  feathers  of  the  back  broadly  edged  with  white  and 
rusty,  most  of  the  wing-coverts  and  the  secondaries  pure  white ;  below,  white, 
with  a  rusty  spot  on  each  side  of  the  breast. 

Adult  female  in  winter. — Similar,  but  white  areas  reduced  and  top  />f  head 
blackish,  edged  with  white. 

Rare  and  irregular  winter  visitant. 

The  Snow  Bunting  conies  down  from  the  north  in  flocks  regularly  as 
far  as  Long  Island,  but  in  New  Jersey  its  occurrence  seems  to  be 
irregular;  more  frequent  along  the  coast  and  up  the  Delaware  shore 
as  far  as  Philadelphia.  Several  large  flocks  were  observed  about 
Princeton  in  the  winter  of  1895-96  (Babson),  and  it  has  been  seen  in 
winter  at  Summit  (Hann),  Plainfield  (Miller),  Morristown  (Thur- 
ber).  the  Hudson  Valley  (Chapman),  and  Orange  Mountains  (Van 
Rensellaer).1 

The  great  amount  of  white  on  the  wings  distinguishes  it  from  any 
other  species. 

536     Calcarius  lapponicus  (Linnaeus). 
Lapland  Longspur. 

Adult  male  in  winter. — Length,  6-7.  Wing,  3.50-3.75.  Above,  grayish-brown, 
broadly  streaked  with  black ;  broad  collar  around  the  hind  neck,  chestnut,  more 
or  less  obscured  by  buffy  tips  to  the  feathers ;  sides  of  face,  buff,  bordered  by  a 
black  line ;  below,  white,  tinged  with  buff ;  whole  throat,  black,  the  feathers 
heavily  tipped  with  buff,  sides  streaked  with  blackish  ;  two  outer  tail  feathers, 
largely  white. 

Adult  female  in  winter. — Similar,  but  black  areas  less  extensive  and  hind  neck 
streaked  with  black. 

The  Longspur  occurs  in  New  Jersey  as  a  wanderer  from  the  far 
north,  generally  single  individuals  which  have  accompanied  flocks  of 
Snow  Buntings  or  Horned  Larks.  There  are  the  following  records  of 
its  occurrence : 

Princeton;  February  13th,  1895.    A.  H.  Phillips  (Coll.  A.  H.  P.). 

^ologist,  1895,  p.  79. 


228   REPORT  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Washington  Park,  on  the  Delaware;  February  14th,  1895.  Isaac 
S.  Reiff  (Coll.  W.  Stone). 

Salem;  December  28th,  1898.  Henry  Warrington  (Coll.  W. 
Stone). 

Thurber  reports  it  as  very  rare  at  Morristown,  and  Chapman  as  rare 
near  New  York  City. 

540     Pooecetes  gramineus    (Gmelin). 
Vesper  Sparrow. 

Adults. — Length,  5.50-6.50.  Wing,  3.20.  Above,  grayish-brown,  strongly 
streaked  with  black  ;  wings  and  tail,  dusky,  edged  with  grayish-brown ;  outer- 
most tail  feather,  mainly  white,  next  one  white,  white  on  both  webs  toward 
the  end,  the  shaft  remaining  dusky;  under  parts,  white,  slightly  tinged  with 
buff ;  streaked  with  dusky  across  the  breast  and  down  the  sides  and  flanks. 
Buff  and  brown  tints  and  wing  edgings  more  conspicuous  in  autumn. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  paler. 

Nest  of  grass  lined  with  rootlets,  hair,  etc.,  placed  on  the  ground ;  eggs,  four 
to  five,  bluish-white,  spotted  and  scrawled  with  brown,  .80  x  .60. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  March  16th  (March  30th),  de- 
parts November  1st.  Winters  sparingly  in  the  southern  counties; 
Haddonfield,  December  29th,  1880  (S.  N.  Rhoads)  ;  Princeton,  Janu- 
ary 21st,  1879  (W.  E.  D.  Scott)  ;  Crosswicks,  winter  of  1904-5  (C. 
C.  Abbott),  and  more  regularly  in  Cape  May  and  Cumberland. 

The  Vesper  is  the  characteristic  Sparrow  of  the  dry  old  fields  with 
Indian  grass  and  low  briers  scattered  here  and  there,  and  of  the  open 
country  roadside.  He  is  dusty  colored,  like  the  ground  upon  which 
he  runs,  but  may  be  told  at  once  from  all  our  other  Sparrows  by  the 
white  lateral  tail  feathers  which  he  displays  as  he  flits  along  ahead 
of  us. 

The  song  of  the  Vesper  is  a  loud  chant,  uttered  as  he  perches  on 
the  top  of  some  small  tree  or  on  the  telegraph  wire  along  the  roadside. 
It  resembles  the  song  of  the  Song  Sparrow,  but  the  melody  is  different. 


541     Passerculus  princeps  Maynard. 
Ipswich  Sparrow. 

Adults. — Length,  6.50.  Wing,  3.  Above,  pale  grayish  ;  top  of  head  and  back 
streaked  with  pale  brown  and  blackish ;  a  whitish  stripe  over  the  eye  and  a  short 
one  down  the  crown  ;  wings  edged  with  pale  cinnamon,  tertials  with  whitish ; 
under  parts,  white,  streaked  with  brown  across  the  breast  and  down  the  sides. 

Spring  males  have  a  spot  of  yellow  in  front  of  the  eye. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  229 

Tolerably  common  winter  resident  on  the  sand  hills  of  the  coast. 
November  3d  to  April  16th. 

This  bird,  which  is  essentially  a  large,  pale  Savanah  Sparrow,  is 
restricted  to  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  seabeach,  where  it  easily 
escapes  notice,  so  closely  does  its  coloration  match  that  of  the  sand. 

It  was  first  detected  on  the  New  Jersey  coast  by  Alexander  Wilson,1 
who  described  and  figured  it  as  the  male  Savanah  Sparrow.  It  was 
not  noticed  here  again  until  December  30th,  1879,  when  Dr.  W.  L. 
Abbott2  obtained  a  specimen  in  Cape  May  county.  Since  then  a  num- 
ber of  specimens  have  been  secured  all  the  way  from  Squan  Beach  to 
Cape  May,  and  it  has  be6n  found  on  nearly  every  occasion  when  it  was 
sought  for  in  winter.3 

Dr.  William  E.  Hughes  found  it  most  abundant  during  March  and 
November,  evidently  the  times  of  migration.* 


542a     Passerculus  sandwichensis  savanna    (Wilson). 
Savannah  Sparrow. 

Adults. — Length,  5-5.50.  Wing,  2.75.  Above,  grayish-brown,  heavily  streaked 
with  black,  and  feathers  more  or  or  less  edged  with  grayish;  wing  feathers 
strongly  edged  with  brown  ;  a  yellow  line  over  the  eye ;  under  parts,  white 
(tinged  with  buff  in  the  autumn)  ;  streaked  with  black  on  the  breast  and  sides. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  more  buffy  above  and  strongly  tinged 
with  buff  below  ;  the  breast  streaks  less  conspicuous. 

Nest  of  grass  on  the  ground  ;  eggs,  four  to  five,  bluish-white,  thickly  spotted 
with  brown,  .75  x  .55. 

Common  transient  visitant.  Spring,  March  16th  to  May  15th;  au- 
tumn, September  1st  to  October  20th.  Regular  winter  resident  in 
Cape  May  county,  and  rare  breeder  in  the  northern  counties  and  on 
the  coast.  Mr.  Thurber  (1887)  says  it  nests  at  Morristown,  and  Mr. 
J.  H.  Clark  makes  the  same  statement  for  Paterson.  Mr.  W.  B. 
Crispin  states  that  he  found  one  nest  near  Salem,  and  Mr.  W.  D.  Miller 


1  Cf.  Stone,  Osprey,  II.,  p.  117. 

2  Forest  and  Stream,  XIV.,  p.  44. 

8  Cf.  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  I.,  p.  7 ;    II.,  p.  3 ;    Auk,  1892,  p.  204 ;    Bull. 
Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1881,  p.  116. 

*  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  III.,  pp.  5,  8. 


230   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

found  one  July  8th,  1903,  on  Seven  Mile  Beach..1  A  single  bird  was 
shot  at  Cape  May,  July  6th,  1891,  by  Mr.  F.  D.  Stone,  Jr.2 

This  is  a  rather  inconspicuous  migrant,  occurring  in  old  fields  where 
it  runs  in  the  manner  of  the  Grasshopper  Sparrow,  but  in  coloration 
resembles  more  nearly  the  Song  Sparrow.  The  shorter,  more  pointed 
tail  and  yellow  spot  before  the  eye,  however,  serve  to  distinguish  it. 

Its  song  is  somewhat  like  that  of  the  Grasshopper  Sparrow,  and  has 
been  well  given  by  Dr.  Dwight,  "tsip,  tsip,  tsip,  se-e-e-sr-r-r." 

In  winter  I  have  found  the  Savannah  Sparrow  literally  swarming  on 
the  low  swamp  land  about  Cape  May,  and  doubtless  it  winters  at  other 
points  along  the  coast. 


546     Ammodramus  savannarum   australis  Maynard. 
Grasshopper  Sparrow. 

Adults. — Length,  5.  Wing,  2.50.  Upper  parts,  mingled  blackish  and  rusty 
brown,  with  gray  and  buff  edgings  to  the  feathers ;  head,  dusky,  with  a  median 
buff  stripe ;  a  spot  of  yellow  in  front  of  the  eye ;  under  parts,  white,  with  the 
breast  and  sides  buff ;  a  few  of  the  feathers  with  brown  shaft  lines. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  buff  tints  more  prominent  above ;  under 
surface  with  whole  breast  and  sides  streaked  with  dusky. 

Nest  of  grass  placed  on  the  ground  ;  eggs,  four  to  five,  pearly-white,  spotted 
rather  sparingly  with  brown,  .72  x  .55. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  21st  (April  28th),  de- 
parts October  20th. 

The  Grasshopper  Sparrow  is  a  bird  of  the  dry  upland  field,  easily 
overlooked  as  it  is  conspicuous  neither  in  dress  nor  in  song.  Xear  the 
nest  the  male  will  perch  on  a  weed  stalk,  like  the  Henslow's  Sparrow, 
and  utter  his  insignificant  song,  "tick,  tick  z-z-z-z-z-z-zz,"  resembling, 
more  than  anything  else,  the  noise  made  by  one  of  our  large  green  grass- 
hoppers. At  other  times  they  remain  on  the  ground  searching  for  food 
among  the  grass,  occasionally  mounting  a  fence  post  to  sing.  Once 
heard  this  song  is  readily  recognized  as  it  has  penetrating  qualities 
that  carry  it  for  long  distances. 

1  Auk,  1906,  p.  340. 

2  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  113. 


THE  BIEDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  231 

547     Passerherbulus  henslowi    (Audubon). 
Henslow's  Sparrow. 

Adults.— Length,  5.  Wing,  2.15.  Above,  head  and  neck,  light  olive;  back 
and  rump,  chestnut,  many  feathers  with  black  centers  and  gray  edgings;  wings 
largely  edged  with  chestnut ;  below,  buffy-white,  deepest  on  chest ;  breast  and 
sides  finely  streaked  with  black. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Dull  brownish-buff  above,  spotted  with  black ;  yel- 
lowish-white below,  with  a  few  dusky  streaks  on  the  sides. 

ycst  of  grass  well  concealed  in  a  tussock ;  eggs,  four  to  five,  dull  white, 
speckled  with  reddish-brown,  .75  x  .55. 

Local  summer  resident,  especially  in  the  southern  half  of  the  State. 

This  obscure  little  Sparrow  is  found  in  the  cranberry  bogs  of  the 
pine  barrens,  in  open  swamps  along  the  coast  and  similar  localities  in 
some  of  the  northern  counties.  Eecent  investigations  on  the  part  of 
the  Delaware  Valley  Ornithological  Club  seem  to  show  that  this  bird 
is  not  so  scarce  as  was  formerly  supposed,  or  else  has  increased  in  num- 
bers of  late  years. 

The  former  seems  to  me  the  more  likely,  as  the  bird  is  very  easily 
overlooked,  although  once  our  attention  has  been  called  to  it's  note  we 
are  not  likely  again  to  pass  it  by. 

Audubon  had  exactly  the  same  experience  as  our  modern  observers 
since  he  says :  "This  species  is  abundant  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey 
and  breeds  there,  but  of  this  I  was  not  aware  until  *  *  *  the 
spring  of  1838,  when  my  friend,  Dr.  James  Trudeau,  sent  me  a  speci- 
men procured  by  himself  while  in  company  with  our  mutual  friend, 
Edward  Harris,  Esq."  And  in  another  place,  apparently  adopting  the 
view  of  a  change  in  its  abundance,  he  says :  "It  has  become  a  common 
bird  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey." 

Wilson  was  entirely  unacquainted  with  it  as  was  Nuttall,  so  far  as 
personal  experience  goes.  Turnbull  regarded  it  as  rather  rare  in  the 
State. 

Mr.  John  Mcllvain  obtained  a  number  of  specimens  on  Seven  Mile 
Beach  in  June,  1875,1  and  Mr.  H.  G.  Parker  found  a  nest  there  on 
May  2?th,  1885.2  The  next  year  Dr.  A.  P.  Brown  found  that  it  was 
present  in  boggy  tracts  near  Point  Pleasant,3  and  on  August  8th,  1889, 

1  A.  R.  Justice,  Atlantic  Slope  Nat,  I.,  p.  79. 

2  O.  and  O.,  XI.,  p.  140. 

8  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  114. 


232   EEPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Dr.  S.  D.  Judd  secured  a  young  bird  at  Boonton,  Morris  county,1  and 
at  Morristown  Thurber  (1887)  states  that  it  is  a  locally  common 
summer  resident.  Mr.  Babson2  states  that  Mr.  Scott  took  several  dur- 
ing the  summer  in  the  neighborhood  of  Princeton. 

On  May  22d,  1894,  Mr.  F.  L.  Bums  found  a  nest  on  Peck's  Beach.3 

On  May  30th,  1895,  Mr.  Stewardson  Brown  found  Henslow's  Spar- 
rows at  Forked  River,  New  Jersey,4  and  at  about  the  same  time  Mr. 
W.  D.  W.  Miller  found  them  on  the  mountains  north  of  Plainfield. 
In  1900-1902  Mr.  Miller  found  them  at  various  points  in  the  Passaic 
Valley,  Great  Swamp,  etc.,  in  the  vicinity  of  Plainfield;7  while  in 
April  and  May,  1902,  Mr.  S.  N".  Rhoads  discovered  them  near  Green- 
wich, Cumberland  county.4  Since  then,  with  our  attention  especially 
directed  toward  this  species,  the  Philadelphia  ornithologists  have  lo- 
cated the  bird  in  fresh-water  bogs  all  along  the  coast  and  at  various 
points  in  the  pine  barrens,  even  in  a  bog  near  Lindenwold,  within  five 
miles  of  Haddonfield.5 

In  swamps  occupied  by  Henslow's  Sparrows  the  male  may  be  seen 
perched  upon  an  old  weed  stalk,  every  now  and  then  throwing  back  his 
head  and  uttering  an  explosive  "chee-slick."  When  disturbed  he  will 
drop  to  the  ground,  and  it  is  with  difficulty  that  he  is  flushed,  as  he 
prefers  to  run  like  a  mouse  here  and  there  under  the  tufted  grass. 

Mr.  John  D.  Carter6  found  a  nest  and  eggs  of  Henslow's  Sparrow 
near  Marlton,  in  May,  1905,  and  another  was  found  by  C.  J.  Hunt, 
below  Millville,  July,  19 08,7  but  they  are  exceedingly  hard  to  locate. 


549     Passerherbulus  caudacutus  (Gmelin). 
Sharp-tailed  Sparrow. 

Adults. — Length,  5-5.75.  Wing,  2.25.  Above,  olivaceous  brown,  mingled 
with  gray,  and  with  light  grayish-white  streaks  on  the  scapulars ;  a  broad,  deep 
buff  stripe  over  the  eye  and  another  from  the  base  of  the  bill,  which  curves  up 
around  the  auriculars  and  joins  the  first  one ;  wings  edged  with  light  brown ; 
under  parts,  white,  strongly  suffused  with  buff  on  the  breast,  sides  and  under 


Auk,  1897,  p.  326. 

Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  63. 

Auk,  1895,  p.  189. 

Rhoads,  Cassinia,  1902,  pp.  6-14,  a  full  history  of  the  bird  in  N.  J. 

Stone,  Cassinia,  1903,  p.  76. 

Cassinia,  1906,  p.  62, 

Cassinia,  1908,  p.  16. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  233 

tail-coverts,  and  conspicuously  streaked  with  black,  except  on  the  throat  and 
middle  of  the  abdomen. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above  and  below,  buff;  top  of  head  and  broad  stripes 
on  the  back,  black  ;  lower  parts  streaked  on  breast  and  sides  with  dusky. 

Nest  of  grass  on  the  ground ;  eggs,  greenish-white,  speckled  with  reddish- 
brown,  .75  x  .55. 

Abundant  summer  resident  on  the  salt  meadows  of  the  coast  and 
Delaware  Bay,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York  City;  occasional  in 
winter,  at  least  from  Atlantic  City  southward.  Has  also  been  taken 
on  the  Passaic  below  Chatham  (Thurber). 

This  is  the  "most  abundant  bird  on  the  broad  salt  meadows  which 
line  our  coast,  It  may  be  seen  running  about  over  the  muddy  flats 
where  a  scant  growth  of  grass  serves  as  shelter,  and  now  and  then 
fluttering  up  a  few  feet  in  the  air,  uttering  a  curious  spluttering  song 
as  it  sinks  back  on  outstretched  wings  to  the  cover  of  the  "thatch." 
The  plumage  of  these  birds  is  subjected  to  great  wear  by  the  coarse 
grass  in  which  they  live,  and,  unlike  most  Sparrows,  they  have  two 
complete  moults  a  year,  so  that  May  and  October  specimens  are  in 
beautiful  fresh  plumage,  while  in  March  and  August  they  are  worn  to 
a  dull  grayish  tint,  with  the  markings  very  indistinct. 


549.1     Passerherbulus  nelson!   (Allen). 
Nelson's  Sharp-tailed  Sparrow. 

Similar  to  the  Sharp-tailed  Sparrow,  but  smaller,  especially  the  bill ;  colors 
above,  brighter  and  very  sharply  contrasted,  the  white  streaks  very  prominent; 
buff  on  breast  much  deeper  and  brighter,  and  streaks  almost  absent  or  very  pale. 

Rather  scarce  transient  visitant,  associating  with  the  preceding  on 
the  salt  meadows  of  the  coast;  also  in  the  Hudson  Valley.1  Speci- 
mens nave  been  taken  May  9th  and  October  10th,  1892,  by  Mr.  I.  N. 
DeHaven.2 


1  Chapman,  Birds  Vicinity  of  N.  Y.,  p.  171. 

2  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  115. 


234   REPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

549.1a     Passerherbulus  nelsoni  subvirgatus   (Dwight). 
Acadian  Sharp-tailed  Sparrow. 

Similar  to  the  preceding  in  size  but  paler  than  true  caudacutus;  upper  parts 
more  uniform  olive-gray,  white  streaks  dull ;  below,  pale  buff  on  breast,  with 
streaks  of  pale  gray. 

Rather  common  transient  visitant,  associating  with  the  preceding 
on  the  salt  meadows  of  the  coast  ;*  rather  rare  in  the  Hudson  Valley.2 

550     Passerherbulus  maritimus   (Wilson). 
Seaside  Sparrow. 

Adults. — Length,  5.25-6.  Wing,  2.50.  Above,  olive-gray,  more  strongly  olive 
on  the  back  and  on  the  sides  of  the  crown ;  wings  edged  with  brown  and  olive ; 
a  yellow  streak  in  front  of  the  eye ;  under  parts,  dull  white,  streaked  with  gray. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  brownish,  streaked  with  black  on  head  and 
back ;  below,  white,  breast  and  sides  tinged  with  buff  and  narrowly  streaked 
with  black. 

Nest  of  grass  situated  on  the  ground ;  eggs,  four  to  five,  white,  thickly 
spotted  with  brown,  .80  x  .60. 

Common  summer  resident  of  the  salt  marshes  of  the  coast  and  Dela- 
ware Bay.  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily  found  a  few  at  Seaville,  Cape  May  county, 
February  22d,  1892.3 

Similar  to  the  Sharp-tailed  Sparrow  in  habits,  song,  etc.;  easily 
distinguished  by  its  uniform  gray  plumage  and  lack  of  stripes  below. 

It  has  always  seemed  to  me  to  prefer  the  wetter  parts  of  the  mead- 
ows, while  the  Sharp-tail  is  a  bird  of  drier,  sandy  spots,  at  least 
during  the  nesting  season. 


1  Of.  Stone,  Auk,  1893,  p.  85. 

2  Chapman,  Birds  Vicinity  of  N.  Y.,  p.  171. 
8  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  115. 


THE  BIEDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  235 

552     Chondestes  grammacus  (Say). 
Lark  Sparrow. 

Adults. — Length,  6.25.  Wing,  3.50.  Above,  grayish-brown,  streaked  on  the 
back  with  black;  head  with  a  chestnut  stripe  down  each  side  of  the  crown, 
becoming  black  at  the  base  of  the  bill;  ear-coverts,  chestnut,  connected  with 
the  bill  by  a  black  line  and  another  black  line  down  the  side  of  the  throat; 
wing-coverts  tipped  with  buff  and  a  buff  spot  on  the  base  of  the  outer  pri- 
maries;  tail,  black,  all  but  the  middle  pair  of  feathers  tipped  with  white,  the 
outer  ones  nearly  half  white. 

Very  rare  straggler  from  the  west. 

One  was  taken  at  Schraalenburg,  November  26th,  1885,  by  F.  M. 
Chapman,1  which  is  the  only  New  Jersey  record. 

554     Zonotrichia  leucophrys  (Fbrster). 
White-crowned  Sparrow. 

Adults. — Length,  6.50-7.50.  Wing,  3.25.  Above,  grayish-brown,  broadly 
striped  on  the  back  with  rich  brown,  the  feathers  edged  with  gray  ;  head,  black, 
with  a  broad  snowy  white  band  down  the  middle,  extending  onto  the  hind  neck, 
and  a  narrow  white  line  over  the  eye;  two  narrow  white  wing  bars;  under 
parts,  pale  gray,  rather  lighter  on  the  throat  and  abdomen ;  under  tail-coverts, 
buff. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Buffy-brown  above,  streaked  on  the  back  with  dark 
brown;  head,  chestnut-brown,  instead  of  black;  light  stripes  dull  buff  instead 
of  white;  under  surface  tinged  with  buff. 

Eather  rare  transient  visitant.  Spring,  May  3d  to  13th;  autumn, 
October. 

This  bird  is  often  confused  with  the  White-throated  Sparrow,  from 
the  fact  that  the  young  and  old  of  the  latter  differ  so  much  in  the 
coloration  of  the  head.  The  old  White-throats  have  such  a  brilliant 
white  and  black  crown,  contrasted  with  the  dull-colored  head  of  the 
young  bird,  that  they  are  at  once  set  down  as  White-crowns.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  the  White-crown  in  my  experience  does  not  mingle 
with  the  other  species,  being  more  solitary  in  habits.  Its  crown  stripe 
is  broader  than  the  most  highly-colored  White-throat,  and  the  area  in 
front  of  the  eye  is  black  instead  of  yellow.  There  is,  moreover,  no 

1  Auk,  1886,  p.  136. 


236    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

trace  of  a  white  throat  patch,  and  the  crown  feathers  are  usually 
partly  elevated. 

Mr.  Babson  states  that  they  were  unusually  plentiful  in  the  fall  of 
1876,  when  Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott  secured  upwards  of  fifty  near  Prince- 
ton. 


558     Zonotrichia  albicollis   (Gmelin). 
White-throated  Sparrow. 

PLATE    56. 

Adults. — Length,  6.50-7.50.  Wing,  3.  Above,  bright  rusty  brown ;  duller 
on  the  rump,  broadly  striped  with  black  and  some  of  the  feathers  edged  with 
buff;  crown,  black,  with  a  narrow  white  median  stripe  becoming  buff  pos- 
teriorly ;  a  buffy-white  line  over  the  eye,  becoming  yellow  in  front,  two  narrow 
white  wing  bars ;  throat  and  abdomen,  white ;  breast,  sides  of  face  and  sides 
of  body,  slaty-gray ;  flanks,  brownish.  Female  often  rather  duller. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  adults  above,  except  that  the  crown  is 
mainly  brown  and  the  yellow  spot  before  the  eye  is  much  less  distinct;  below 
the  white  throat  is  but  poorly  denned  and  the  gray  is  mottled  with  dusky  spots. 

Common  transient  visitant,  wintering  locally  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  State  and  less  frequently  in  the  northern  half.  Arrives  Sep- 
tember 20th,  departs  May  15th. 

The  White-throats  arrive  from  the  north  in  small  flocks  and  take 
up  their  residence  in  some  thicket  of  briers  in  the  woods,  or  even  in 
the  evergreens  in  the  garden.  They  sing  throughout  the  winter,  their 
clear  whistle  never  failing  to  attract  attention.  The  first  note  is  low, 
the  others  all  much  higher,  and  it  is  frequently  interpreted  as 
"Old  Sam  Peabody,  Peabody,  Peabody,"  which  has  given  the  bird  in 
its  summer  home  to  the  northward  the  name  of  Peabodv  bird. 


559     Spizella   monticola    (Gmelin). 
Tree  Sparrow. 

Adults. — Length,  6-6.50.  Wing,  3.  Above,  grayish-buff,  feathers  on  back 
streaked  with  black  and  chestnut ;  hind  neck,  pure  gray  ;  top  of  head,  chestnut ; 
wings  edged  with  cinnamon  rufous ;  two  conspicuous  white  wing  bars ;  tail 
edged  with  pale  buff ;  under  parts,  pale  gray,  whiter  on  the  abdomen ;  a  chest- 
nut patch  on  each  side  of  the  breast  and  a  dusky  spot  in  the  middle  of  the 
chest ;  sides  shaded  with  brownish  ;  upper  mandible  dusky  ;  lower  yellow. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  237 

Common  winter  visitant.    Arrives  October  25th,  departs  April  15th. 

This  species,  in  many  ways  a  large  edition  of  the  Field  Sparrow, 
frequents  the  alder  thickets  and  brier  patches,  and  even  when  the 
ground  is  white  with  snow  they  remain  in  their  chosen  shelter,  indulg- 
ing in  a  chorus  of  half-formed  songs  as  the  sun  begins  to  warm  them 
up — a  suggestion  of  what  they  can  do  in  their  summer  home  to  the 
northward.  The  plain  breast  with  a  single  black  spot  will  distinguish 
the  Tree  Sparrow  from  all  other  species. 


560     Spizella  passerina  (Bechstein). 
Chipping  Sparrow. 

PLATE  57. 

Adults. — Length,  5-5.75.  Wing,  2.75.  Back,  light  brown,  broadly  streaked 
with  black  ;  hind  neck  and  rump,  gray  ;  crown,  chestnut ;  forehead,  black,  with 
a  median  gray  streak  ;  a  white  line  over  the  eye  and  a  black  one  through  it ; 
wings  edged  with  pale  brown ;  two  narrow  buffy  bars ;  under  parts,  white, 
shaded  with  gray  on  the  sides.  In  winter  the  chestnut-brown  is  veiled  with 
buff  and  streaked  with  black,  and  the  white  areas  are  tinged  with  buff. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  buffy-brown,  heavily  streaked  with  black, 
with  sometimes  a  faint  tinge  of  chestnut  on  the  crown ;  below,  white,  streaked 
with  dusky,  except  on  the  middle  of  the  abdomen. 

Nest  of  fine  rootlets  and  twigs,  lined  abundantly  with  horsehair ;  eggs,  four 
to  five,  greenish-blue,  marked  with  black  about  the  larger  end,  .70  x  .52. 

Abundant  summer  resident.  Arrives  March  22d  (March  29th), 
departs  October  25th.  Rarely  occurs  in  the  winter  in  the  southern 
counties. 

The  Chippy  is  the  most  familiar  of  our  Sparrows,  preferring  the 
gardens  and  orchards  to  the  swamps  and  woodlands.  IJe  picks  up  his 
food  from  the  lawn  or  gravel  walk,  and  if  unmolested  rears  his  brood 
in  the  vines  about  the  porch,  and  trills  his  song  from  the  top  of  the 
evergreen  bush  in  the  yard.  This  effort  is  not  of  a  high  order  as  a 
musical  production,  consisting  of  a  monotonous  insect-like  trill, 
"chippy,  chippy,  chippy,  chippy." 

In  autumn,  old  and  young  flock  out  into  the  fields  along  with  the 
other  Sparrows,  and  occasionally  one  or  two  may  remain  in  the  winter 
Sparrow  flocks.  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily  noted  one  at  Seaville,  Cape  May 
count}',  late  in  November.1 


1  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  11?. 


REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

563     Spizella    pusilla    (Wilson). 

Field  Sparrow. 

PLATE  57. 

Adults. — Length,  5.25-6.  Wing,  2.50.  Above,  grayish-brown,  tinged  with 
rusty ;  back  streaked  with  chestnut  and  black,  head  rusty  with  a  median  gray 
stripe ;  wings  edged  with  rusty  brown,  tail  with  gray ;  two  buff y  wing  bars ; 
lower  parts,  pale  grayish,  tinged  with  buff  on  breast  and  sides ;  more  rusty 
above  in  winter  and  lower  surface  much  more  buff ;  bill,  cinnamon  rufous. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Duller  than  the  adults,  with  breast  and  sides  streaked 
with  dusky. 

Nest  of  grass  in  a  low  bush  or  on  the  ground ;  eggs,  four  to  five,  bluish- 
white,  thickly  speckled  with  rusty  markings,  .65  x  .50. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  March  4th  (March  19th),  de- 
parts November  1st.  In  southern  counties  it  is  a  tolerably  common 
winter  resident,  often  mingling  with  the  Tree  Sparrows,  and  a  rare 
winter  resident  in  the  north — Englewood1  and  Plainfield.2 

The  Field  Sparrow  is  the  representative  of  the  Chippy  in  the  old 
fields  and  borders  of  woods  and  thickets.  Of  the  same  size  and  slender 
build,  it  is  distinguished  by  its  more  rusty  coloration,  the  absence  of 
a  distinct  crown  patch  and  the  reddish  instead  of  black  bill. 

The  song  of  the  Field  Sparrow  is  a  plaintive  strain,  beginning  slowly 
and  becoming  more  rapid  until  it  dies  away  in  a  trill — fee-o,  fee-o, 
fee-o,  few-few-few  tr-r-r-r-r;  while  subject  to  some  variation  the  same 
general  character  is  maintained. 

In  the  swamps  of  the  southern  half  of  the  State  a  certain  number 
of  Field  Sparrows  winter  regularly,  sometimes  in  little  bands  by  them- 
selves, sometimes  mingled  with  Tree  Sparrows,  Juncos,  etc. 

567     Junco  hyemalis   (Linnaeus). 

Slate-colored  Junco.     Snowbird. 

PLATE  58. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5.50-6.25.  Wing,  3.  Upper  parts,  slate  color,  darkest 
on  the  head,  wings  and  tail,  which  are  blackish-slate;  outer  tail  feathers, 
white ;  next  one,  white,  with  terminal  streaks  of  slate,  the  third,  slate,  with  a 

1  Chapman,  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  V.,  p.  3,  and  Bird  Lore,  Christmas 
List,  February,  1901. 

2  Chapman,  Birds  Vicinity  N/Y.,  p.  65. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  239 

white  streak;  tertials  edged  with  brownish;  under  surface  as  far  down  as 
middle  of  breast,  slate,  continuous  with  that  of  the  upper  parts,  remainder 
white;  bill,  pinkish. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  paler,  and  tinged  with  brown  above. 

Young  in  first  icinter. — Similar,  the  females  still  browner. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Grayish-brown,  streaked  with  black  above;  below, 
white,  heavily  streaked  with  dusky,  except  on  the  middle  of  the  abdomen. 

Abundant  winter  visitant.    Arrives  October  1st,  departs  April  25th. 

The  Junco  is  probably  our  best  known  winter  bird.  Its  slate-colored 
plumage  and  conspicuous  white  tail  feathers  easily  distinguish  it  from 
other  small  birds. 

The  Juncos  remain  in  considerable  flocks  throughout  the  winter, 
frequenting  the  fence  rows  and  edges  of  the  woods,  except  >when  severe 
weather  drives  them  into  the,  gar  den  and  up  to  the  doorstep  in  search 
of  food.  In  early  spring  we  hear  them  trilling  their  low,  Chippy-like 
song,  though  for  the  most  part  they  have  only  a  Sparrow-like  chirp 
while  they  are  with  us. 

The  Junco  may  possibly  nest  in  the  extreme  northwestern  corner  of 
the  State,  as  it  is  a  summer  bird  in  Pike  county,  Pennsylvania,  just 
across  the  river,  but  as  yet  we  have  no  record  of  the  fact. 


581     Melospiza   melodia    (Wilson). 
Song  Sparrow. 

PLATE  59. 

Adults. — Length,  6.50.  Wing,  2.50.  Above,  wood  brown,  grayer  on  the 
rump  and  hind  neck ;  back  broadly  streaked  with  black ;  head  narrowly 
streaked  with  black  and  with  a  gray  median  stripe;  wing-coverts  and  tertials 
with  black  centers ;  under  parts,  white,  tinged  with  buff  across  the  breast ; 
streaked  on  breast  and  sides  with  black  and  rusty  brown,  streaks  merged  on 
the  center  of  the  breast  forming  a  spot ;  a  pale  gray  line  over  the  eye ;  a  buff 
stripe  from  the  base  of  the  bill,  bordered  above  and  below  with  black. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  more  buffy  above  and  below,  streaks  on 
the  breast  narrower. 

Nest  of  grass,  leaves  and  rootlets,  either  on  the  ground  or  in  a  low  bush; 
eggs,  four  to  five,  bluish-white,  thickly  blotched  with  brown,  .80  x  .60. 

Abundant  resident;  more  generally  distributed  in  summer. 

The  Song  Sparrow  is  found  throughout  the  State  in  swamps,  and 
thickets  along  the  borders  of  streams,  and  about  our  gardens,  though 
less  common  in  the  last  locality  than  it  was  prior  to  the  arrival  of  the 
English  Sparrow. 


240   REPOKT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

In  the  early  spring  we  hear  him  tuning  up,  and  many  people  think 
he  has  just  arrived  from  the  south.  His  song  is  among  the  best  of 
our  spring  bird  music,  and  sometimes  I  think  familiarity  produces 
in  us  a  lack  of  appreciation  of  what  a  fine  song  it  really  is. 

In  winter  the  Song  Sparrow  is  found  abundantly  all  over  the  broad 
river  meadows,  and  along  the  borders  of  streams  and  ditches,  flitting 
along  below  the  banks  or  among  the  tufts  of  grass. 


583     Melospiza  lincolni  (Audubon). 

Lincoln's  Finch. 

/ 

Adults. — Length,  5.50.  Wing,  2.50.  Upper  parts,  brownish-olive,  sharply 
streaked  with  black  from  head  to  rump ;  crown  with  a  gray  median  stripe  and 
a  gray  stripe  over  the  eye ;  under  parts,  white,  with  a  broad  buff  band  across 
the  breast  and  down  the  sides ;  chest,  sides,  flanks  and  under  tail-coverts 
streaked  with  black. 

Rare  transient  visitant.  Spring,  May  8th;  autumn,  September 
21st  to  October  25th. 

Similar  in  habits  to  the  Song  Sparrow,  but  much  wilder  and  shyer. 
Thurber  mentions  it  as  of  rare  occurrence  in  Morris  county,  but  on 
September  21st,  1885,  he  saw  ten,1  and  Babson  records  four  specimens 
obtained  near  Princeton,  as  follows : 

October  25th,  1875.    W.  E.  D.  Scott. 

September  21st,  1878.    W.  E.  D.  Scott. 

October  7th,  1879.    W.  E.  D.  Scott. 

May  8th,  1894.    H.  A.  Phillips. 

Mr.  Chapman  saw  one  at  Englewood,  September  10th,  1898.2 


584     Melospiza  georgiana   (Latham). 
Swamp  Sparrow. 

PLATE  58. 

Adults. — Length,  5.50.  Wing,  2.35.  Above,  brown,  broadly  streaked  with 
black ;  gray  on  the  back  of  the  neck ;  crown,  uniform  chestnut ;  forehead, 
black,  with  a  short  gray  median  streak ;  sides  of  head  and  neck  and  entire 


1  O.  and  O.,  XL,  p.  92. 

2  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  XL,  p.  5. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  241 

breast,  gray ;  flanks,  brown ;  throat  and  middle  of  abdomen,  dull  white ;  wing- 
coverts  and  tertials  edged  with  chestnut.  In  winter  the  chestnut  crown  is  more 
or  less  obscured  by  black. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar,  but  crown  mainly  blackish,  with  a  trace 
of  chestnut  here  and  there ;  sides  of  face,  yellowish ;  under  parts  tinged  with 
buff. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Cinnamon  brown  above,  streaked  with  dusky  ;  below, 
buffy-white,  narrowly  streaked  with  black  on  throat,  breast  and  sides. 

Nest  of  grass  in  a  tussock ;  eggs,  four  to  five,  pale  bluish-green,  thickly 
blotched  with  brown,  .75  x  .55. 

Common  summer  resident  in  suitable  localities.  Resident  in  the 
southern  counties,,  especially  Cape  May.  Migrants  arrive  March  29th, 
depart  November  1st. 

The  Swamp  Sparrow  is  an  inhabitant  of  low  swamps,  especially 
along  the  Delaware  and  near  the  coast.  It  is  a  shy  bird,  rather  diffi- 
cult to  flush,  and  runs  along  dodging  in  and  out  under  the  tussocks  of 
grass  like  a  mouse. 

Its  song  is  a  repetition  of  one  note,  "sweet,  sweet,  sweet,  sweet," 
with  a  sort  of  liquid  quality  like  that  of  the  Long-billed  Marsh  Wren, 
with  which  it  associates. 

In  midwinter  I  have  found  these  birds  plentiful  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Cape  May,  and  they  occur  occasionally  farther  north  at  this 
season. 

585     Passerella  iliaca   (Merrem). 
Fox  Sparrow. 

PLATE  56. 

Adults. — Length,  6.25-7.50.  Wing,  3.50.  Above,  rusty,  the  gray  bases  of  the 
feathers  showing  through  and  producing  a  somewhat  mottled  appearance ;  tail 
and  wing  edgings,  bright  rusty ;  two  narrow  white  wing  bars ;  under  parts, 
white,  heavily  spotted  on  throat  and  breast  with  bright  rusty  triangular  spots ; 
sides  and  lower  breast  with  small  dark  brown  spots ;  flanks  with  long  streaks 
of  brown  and  rusty. 

Common  transient  visitant.  Spring,  March  1st  (March  8th)  to 
April  10th;  autumn,  October  15th  to  December  1st.  A  few  winter. 

This  is  the  largest  and  rustiest  of  our  Sparrows.  While  he  is  with 
us  he  frequents  the  edges  of  swampy  thickets,  usually  in  flocks  of  vary- 
ing sizes,  scratching  about  among  the  leaves  and  flying  to  the  trees  or 
bushes  when  disturbed. 

16 


242   REPORT  OF  FEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

In  spring  the  Fox  Sparrow  may  often  be  heard  in  full  song,  and  a 
splendid  song  it  is,  finer  in  quality  than  that  of  any  of  our  other  Spar- 
rows. 

Though  common  every  year  during  their  passage,  they  seem,  some 
years,  to  reach  us  all  together,  as  it  were,  and  for  a  short  time  the 
thickets  simply  swarm  with  them.  I  noticed  such  a  flight  in  March, 
1906,  near  Tuckerton,  when  all  the  woods  and  fence  rows  seemed  alive 
with  Fox  Sparrows. 

Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott  secured  one  on  January  14th,  1879,  at  Prince- 
ton,1 and  Mr.  S.  N".  Rhoads  and  I  found  several  at  Cape  May,  January 
2Gth-29th,  1891.  Mr.  Baily2  saw  twenty-five  at  Wildwood,  December 
25th,  1902,  and  Mr.  W.  B.  Evans  one  at  Moorestown  the  same  day.2 


587     Pipilo  erythrophthalmus   (Linnaeus). 
Towhee,  Chewink. 

PLATE    60. 

Adult  male. — Length,  7-8.25.  Wing,  3.10.  Above,  including  whole  head, 
neck  and  breast,  black ;  sides  of  body,  chestnut ;  middle  of  body,  white ;  outer 
web  of  primaries  white  at  base,  making  a  distinct  bar ;  tips  of  primaries  and 
tertials  also  white ;  three  outer  tail  feathers  with  large  white  terminal  areas, 
fourth  feather  often  with  a  small  white  spot. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  black  replaced  by  brown  (cinnamon  or  raw  umber). 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  fulvous  brown,  streaked  and  mottled  with 
black ;  under  parts,  buffy,  thickly  streaked  with  blackish,  except  on  the  throat 
and  middle  of  the  abdomen ;  wings  and  tail  as  in  adults. 

Nest  of  dead  leaves  lined  with  grass,  placed  on  the  ground,  or  rarely  in  a  low 
bush ;  eggs,  four  to  five,  white,  spotted  with  brown,  .90  x  .70. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  March  21st  (April  19th),  de- 
parts October  20th.  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily  has  recorded  one  at  Wildwood, 
Cape  May  county,  December  27th,  1903,3  and  W.  B.  Evans  one  at 
Moorestown,  December  25th,  1907. 4 

The  Towhee  is  a  bird  of  clearings  or  low  bushy  woodlands,  and 
spends  most  of  his  time  scratching  among  the  dead  leaves.  When 
alarmed  he  utters  the  familiar  metallic  "che  wink"  and  flits  about  from 

1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  82. 

2  Bird  Lore,  February,  1903. 

3  Cassinia,  1904,  p.  62. 

4  Bird  Lore,  February,  1908,  Christmas  Lists. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  243 

bush  to  bush,  and  back  to  the  ground,  exhibiting  his  black,  white  and 
brown  colors  to  perfection. 

When  singing  he  perches  motionless  on  the  top  of  some  bush  or  low 
tree  and  at  intervals  utters  the  notes  which  Thompson  Seton  so  clearly 
represents  with  the  syllables  "chuck-burr,  pill-a-will-a-will-a." 

The  Towhee  is  pretty  generally  distributed,  but  is  particularly 
plentiful  in  the  pine  barrens  of  which  section  it  is  one  of  the  char- 
acteristic species. 

593      Cardinalis  cardinalis  (Linnaeus). 
Cardinal. 

PLATE  61. 

Adult  male. — Length,  8-9.  Wing,  3.75.  Whole  plumage,  vermilion  red,  ex- 
cept the  throat,  forehead  and  area  at  base  of  bill,  which  are  black ;  back 
feathers  edged  with  grayish ;  a  conspicuous  crest  on  the  head ;  bill,  red. 

Adult  female. — Above,  grayish-olive ;  below,  pale  fulvous  or  buff ;  wings  and 
tail,  dull  red,  as  in  male ;  throat,  etc.,  dull  grayish. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar  to  adult  female,  but  males  show  more  or 
less  red  in  the  plumage. 

Nest  of  grapevine  bark  and  dead  leaves,  lined  with  rootlets  an^  grass,  in 
bushes,  three  to  four  feet  up ;  eggs,  three  to  four,  white,  spotted  with  brown, 
1.00  x  .70. 

Common  resident  in  the  southern  half  of  State  and  along  the  eastern 
border  to  the  vicinity  of  New  York  City. 

This  is  one  of  our  really  brilliant  birds,  but,  in  spite  of  his  red  coat, 
he  is  not  nearly  so  conspicuous  as  one  might  suppose,  and  those  who 
are  familiar  with  him  note  his  presence  by  his  call  more  frequently 
than  by  his  color.  He  has  a  loud  clear  whistle,  somewhat  resembling 
the  syllables  "woit,  woit,  woit,  woit,"  repeated  rapidly  and  at  other 
times  a  more  deliberate  "cheer,  cheer,  cheer."  The  Cardinal  is  a  bird 
of  low  thickets,  and  is  active  and  inquisitive,  flitting  about  from  place 
to  place  with  crest  erect,  and  showing  a  great  display  of  rivalry  when 
one  imitates  his  call. 

It  seems  strange  to  see  such  an  apparently  tropical  bird  in,  the 
depth  of  winter,  and  yet  all  through  southern  New  Jersey,  especially 
along  the  tide-water  creeks,  he  is  just  as  plentiful  when  the  ground  is 
covered  with  snow  as  in  midsummer. 

In  the  northern  counties  he  does  not  occur,  but  breeds  at  least  as  far 


244   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

north  as  Plainfield  (common,  Miller),  Summit  (rare,  Holmes)  ;  at 
South  Orange  Mr.  Babson  writes  me  that  he  has  found  two  nests,  ana 
Mr.  H.  B.  Bailey1  records  another.  At  Morristown  Thurber  calls  it 
rare,  and  Mr.  Caskey  has  never  seen  it. 


595    Zamelodia   ludoviciana    (Linnaeus). 
Rose-breasted  Grosbeak. 

PLATE    62. 

Adult  male. — Length,  8.20.  Wing,  4.  Head,  throat  and  back,  black  ;  rump, 
white,  tipped  with  black ;  wings  and  tail,  black,  tipped  or  marked  with  white ; 
breast  and  under  wing-coverts,  bright  pink;  rest  of  under  parts,  white. 

Female. — Above,  brown,  streaked  with  gray  and  buff;  a  buff  line  down  the 
center  of  the  crown  and  white  line  over  the  eye;  below,  buff,  streaked  with 
brown ;  under  wing-coverts,  orange-yellow ;  wings  and  tail,  brown. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  female,  but  under  wing-coverts  pink. 

Nest  in  bushes  or  low  trees ;  eggs,  three  to  four,  greenish-blue,  spotted  with 
reddish-brown,  1.00  x  .75. 

Common  summer  resident  in  the  northern  counties ;  transient  visit- 
ant in  the  south;  breeds  at  Princeton  (Babson),  near  Trenton  (Ab- 
bott), Plainfield  (Miller),  Summit  (Hann  and  Callender),  Paterson 
(Clark),  Hopatcong  (D  wight),  Ridge  wood  (Hales),  Hudson  Valley 
(Chapman) ;  also  one  nest  at  Haddonfield,  July,  1897,2  and  one  at 
Beverly,  June  1st,  1896.3  William  B.  Evans  also  heard  the  bird  in 
full  song  at  Bridgeboro,  Burlington  county,  June  24th,  1901,  and  at 
Mount  Holly,  July  20th,  1901.4  Mr.  Clarence  Brown  found  a  single 
bird  at  Rutherford  from  January  26th  to  February  13th,  1908,  a  re- 
markable occurrence.  The  bird  was  photographed  when  it  came  for 
food,  making  identification  certain.5 


1  Auk,  1886,  p.  410. 

2  Moore,  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  III.,  p.  10. 

3  Reed,  Auk,  1897,  p.  323. 

4  Cassinia,  1901,  pp.  32-34. 
8  Bird  Lore,  1908,  p.  82. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JEESEY.  245 

597     Guiraca  caerulea  (Linnaeus). 
Blue  Grosbeak. 

Adult  male. — Length,  7.  Wing,  3.50.  General  color,  bright  blue,  shaded 
with  dusky  on  the  middle  of  the  back ;  wings  and  tail,  black,  edged  with  blue ; 
shoulder  of  wing,  chestnut,  as  are  also  the  tips  of  the  tertials  and  greater- 
coverts. 

Female. — Pale  brown,  drab  on  the  lower  back,  still  paler  below ;  two  obscure 
wing  bars. 

Nest  in  bushes ;    eggs,  three  to  four,  plain  bluish-white,  .85  x  .65. 

Audubon  describes  in  detail  a  nest  with  young  which  he  found  near 
Camden  in  the  summer  of  1829,  and  which  appears  in  the  plate  of 
this  species  in  his  Birds  of  America. 

Turnbull  calls  it  a  rare  straggler  in  New  Jersey,  possibly  entirely 
on  Audubon's  authority. 

Thurber  (1887)  says  that  it  has  been  seen  at  Morristown  by  Mr. 
Fairchild,  and  Mr.  E.  P.  Bicknell  records  several  individuals  noticed 
by  Mr.  Akhurst,  a  taxidermist,  near  Snake  Hill,  N.  J.,  in  the  vicinity 
of  New  York  City. 

These  meagre  records  constitute  all  that  we  know  of  the  bird  in 
New  Jersey. 

598     Passe rina  cyanea   (Linnaeus). 
Indigo  Bunting,  Indigo-bird. 

PLATE  63. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.75-5.75.  Wing,  2.60-2.80.  Above  and  below,  bright 
cerulean  blue,  more  purplish  on  the  head ;  wings  and  tail,  black,  edged  with 
blue.  In  autumn. — Rich  brown,  paler  on  the  breast  and  abdomen;  feathers 
everywhere  with  blue  bases,  which  are  more  or  less  apparent ;  wings  and  tail 
edged  with  blue. 

Adult  female. — Above,  dull  brown,  with  an  olive  tinge ;  below,  whitish,  some- 
what tinged  with  buff  and  obscurely  streaked  with  dusky  on  the  breast  and 
sides. 

Young  in  first  summer  and  autumn. — Similar  to  adult  female. 

Male  in  first  breeding  season. — Blue,  more  or  less  mottled  with  worn  brown 
feathers  above  and  white  ones  below. 

Nest  of  grass  and  dead  leaves  in  a  crotch  of  a  bush,  three  or  four  feet  up ; 
eggs,  three  to  four,  bluish-white,  .75  x  .52. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  May  1st  (May  7th),  departs 
October  1st. 


246   EEPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

The  Indigo-bird  is  one  of  our  most  persistent  songsters.  No  sum- 
mer day  seems  too  hot  for  his  performance,  and  while  other  species 
await  the  cool  of  the  approaching  evening,  he  pours  forth  his  energetic 
song  full  in  the  boiling  sun,  perched  on  some  tree  or  telegraph  wire. 

His  brilliant  plumage  is  not  perceptible  against  the  sky,  and  it  is 
only  when  we  find  him  near  the  ground  that  we  get  a  background  that 
shows  us  his  true  colors.  The  Sparrow-like  female  may  be  recog- 
nized by  the  plain  brown  coloration  and  the  faint  trace  of  blue  on  the 
shoulders  and  tail.  The  Indigo  is  a  bird  of  the  fields,  clearings,  and 
edges  of  woodland,  though  he  comes  now  and  then  into  the  garden. 


601     Passerina  ciris    (Linnaeus). 
Painted  Bunting,  Nonpareil. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5.25.  Wing,  2.70.  Head  and  neck,  blue ;  back,  green, 
tinged  with  golden  yellow ;  rump  and  under  parts,  red ;  wings  and  tail  washed 
with  red ;  greater  wing-coverts,  green. 

Female. — Olive-green  above;  white,  tinged  with  yellow,  below;  wings  and 
tail  washed  with  green. 

Accidental  straggler  from  the  south. 

One  is  recorded  by  Mr.  E.  P.  Bicknell  in  the  Elliot  collection  in 
the  American  Museum,  labeled  "New  Jersey,"  1  and  Professor  A.  H. 
Phillips  took  one  at  Princeton,  July  6th,  1897.2  It  is  probable  that 
these  may  have  been  escaped  cage  birds. 


604     Spiza  americana    (Gmelin). 
Dickcissel,  Black-throated  Bunting. 

Adult  male.— Length,  5.75-6.50.  Wing,  2.80-3.25.  Above,  grayish-brown, 
streaked  with  black  on  the  back ;  rump  and  crown,  gray ;  a  pale  yellow  line 
over  the  eye;  lesser  wing-coverts,  bright  cinnamon  rufous;  under  parts,  yel- 
low, fading  into  white  on  the  abdomen  and  chin ;  a  black  patch  on  the  lower 
throat. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  paler ;    whole  throat,  white ;    no  black  patch. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Clay  colored,  coarsely  striped  with  black  above; 
below,  pale  buff. 

1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  III.,  1878,  p.  132. 
8  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  66. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  247 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  adult  female,  but  buffy-white  below, 
brownish  on  the  sides. 

Nest  of  grass  on  the  ground  or  in  low  bushes ;  eggs,  four  to  five,  pale  blue, 
unspotted,  .80  x  .60. 

Formerly  a  local  summer  resident,  but  now  rare  and  of  irregular 
occurrence. 

Up  to  I860,  and  locally  later,  this  bird  was  of  regular  occurrence  on 
the  Atlantic  coastal  plain,  but  during  the  next  twenty  years  it  prac- 
tically disappeared  from  this  region  and  is  now  restricted  to  the  Missis- 
sippi Valley,  except  in  the  case  of  occasional  stragglers. 

The  late  Dr.  S.  W.  Woodhouse  wrote  to  Mr.  Rhoads  (Cassinia,  1904, 
p.  23)  that  from  1840  to  1850  it  was  common  in  Camden  county,  and 
Mr.  C.  S.  Galbraith  informed  Mr.  Chapman1  that  in  1851  it  was  a 
common  summer  resident  at  Hoboken.  Audubon  mentions  that  it  was 
plentiful  at  Salem  in  his  time,  but  that  it  did  not  occur  in  the  more 
sandy  parts  of  the  State.  So  common  was  it  that  most  early  authors 
did  not  take  the  trouble  to  mention,  in  detail,  the  localities  in  which 
they  had  found  it,  and  so  the  above  constitute  practically  all  that  we 
have  of  the  original  distribution  of  the  bird  in  New  Jersey. 

In  1868  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott2  reported  it  as  a  rare  migrant,  and  we 
have,  then,  no  record  of  its  occurrence  until  the  capture  of  a  male 
June  4th,  1880,  at  Princeton,  by  J.  F.  Cowan,  and  two  at  Stoutsburg, 
June  14th,  of  the  same  year,  by  W.  E.  D.  Scott,  all  in  Princeton  Col- 
lege Collection  (Babson).  One  young  bird,  shot  at  Maurice  River, 
September  18th,  1890,  was  obtained  by  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily  from  a  Reed- 
bird  gunner,  and  this  closes  the  record  of  the  bird  in  New  Jersey  until 
1904,  when  we  have  the  startling  fact  of  its  breeding  again  in  the 
State. 

Mr.  W.  D.  W.  Miller,  of  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History, 
New  York,  found  a  pair  of  birds  evidently  at  home  in  a  grass  field 
near  Plainileld,  July  3d,  1904,  and  the  next  day  discovered  two  young, 
one  of  which  was  secured.  The  bird  apparently  did  not  return  to  the 
vicinity  in  the  following  years,  so  the  hope  that  this  might  be  the  be- 
ginning of  the  bird's  return  to  its  former  home  has  not  been  realized. 

Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads  has  discussed  the  disappearance  of  this  bird  quite 
fully  in  his  paper  "Exit  the  Dickcissel"  (Cassinia,  1903,  pp.  17-28). 


1  Auk,  1891,  p.  395. 

2  Birds  of  N.  J.  in  Cook's  Geol.  of  N.  J. 


248        REPOKT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Family   TANGARID^E. 

THE  TANAGERS. 

A  family  of  tropical  birds  of  which  only  two  species  find  their  way 
to  Eastern  North  America.  Allied  to  the  Finches,  but  upper  mandible 
slightly  toothed  near  the  middle.  Habits  arboreal. 

a.  More  or  less  red  in  the  plumage  (males). 

6.  Wings  and  tail  black.  SCARLET  TANAGER,  p.  248 

66.  Wings  and  tail  at  least  partly  red.  SUMMER  TANAGER,  p.  249 
6.  No  red  in  plumage  (females). 

6.  General  tone  of  upper  parts  buffy-olive.  SUMMER  TANAGER,  p.  249 

66.  General  tone  of  upper  parts  olive-green.  SCARLET  TANAGER,  p.  248 

608     Piranga  erythromelas  Vieillot. 
Scarlet  Tanager. 

PLATE  64. 

Adult  male. — Length,  6.50-7.50.  Wing,  3.75.  Entire  plumage,  brilliant 
scarlet,  except  wings  and  tail,  which  are  jet  black.  In  autumn  the  scarlet  is 
replaced  by  olive-green  above  and  citron-yellow  below,  wings  and  tail  remain 
the  same.  The  seasonal  change  from  red  to  green,  and  vice  versa,  continues 
throughout  the  bird's  life. 

Adult  female. — Pale  olive-green  above,  greenish-yellow  below;  wing-coverts 
uniform  with  the  back ;  wings  and  tail,  dusky,  edged  with  olive. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  yellow-olive ;  below,  dull  white,  becoming 
yellow  on  the  abdomen,  streaked  with  olive-brown  on  the  breast  and  sides. 

Young  male  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  adult  female,  but  wing-coverts 
black ;  the  rest  of  the  wing  and  tail  is  dusky  with  olive  edgings  in  contrast  to 
the  uniform  black  wing  of  the  adult  male. 

Male  in  first  breeding  season. — Similar  to  last,  but  scarlet  instead  of  green ; 
wings  usually  remain  the  same,  but  some  jet  black  feathers  often  appear  in 
the  tail. 

Nest  on  the  branch  of  a  tree,  frail,  composed  of  rootlets,  etc. ;  eggs,  three  to 
four,  greenish-blue,  spotted  with  brown,  .95  x  .65. 

Tolerably  common  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  28th  (May 
6th),  departs  October  10th.  More  abundant  in  the  northern  counties. 

In  early  May  the  Tanagers  are  conspicuous  in  the  woods,  shining 
out  like  coals  of  fire  among  the  white  dogwood  blossoms  and  gray- 
green  of  the  opening  leaf  buds.  Later,  when  the  transients  have 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  249 

passed  on,  the  summer  resident  Tanagers  take  to  the  tree-tops,  and  in 
the  thick  foliage  we  see  them  less  frequently,  but  their  powerful  song 
comes  down  to  us  from  the  topmost  bow  or  floats  out  across  the  fields 
from  the  distant  woodland.  It  resembles  very  much  the  chant  of  the 
Robin,  but  has  a  peculiar  harsh  quality  that  renders  it  easily  recog- 
nized. In  autumn  we  find  the  Tanagers,  then  all  in  dull  green,  asso- 
ciating with  the  mixed  flocks  of  birds  that  feed  on  the  sour  gum  and 
dogwood  berries. 

610     Piranga    rubra    (Linnseus) 
Summer  Tanager. 

Adult  male. — Length,  7-8.  Wing,  3.75.  Above,  dull  poppy  red,  brighter, 
more  vermilion  on  the  under  parts. 

Adult  female. — Above,  yellowish  olive-green ;   below,  dull  yellow. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  yellowish-brown ;  below,  dull  white,  tinged 
with  yellow  and  streaked  with  olive-brown. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  adult  female,  but  brighter  and  more 
tinged  with  orange. 

Male  in  first  nesting  season. — Sometimes  similar  to  adult,  but  with  wings 
edged  with  olive  instead  of  red ;  other  birds  have  only  a  scattering  of  red 
feathers  over  the  body,  and  there  are  all  sorts  of  intermediates;  the  full  red 
plumage  is  always  assumed  at  the  end  of  the  first  nesting  season  and  is  not 
afterwards  changed  to  olive. 

Nest  and  eggs  similar  to  those  of  the  preceding. 

A  very  rare  straggler  from  farther  south. 

Formerly  this  bird  was  of  regular  occurrence  in  summer  in  south- 
ern New  Jersey.  Wilson  says:  "In  Pennsylvania  they  are  a  rare 
species,  while  in  New  Jersey,  even  within  half  a  mile  of  the  shore 
opposite  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  they  may  generally  be  found  during 
the  season"  [May  to  August].  This  was  in  1807.  In  1857  Beesley 
gives  it  as  a  rare  breeder  in  Cape  May  county,  and  in  1869  Turnbull 
lists  it  as  rather  rare.  Mr.  G.  N.  Lawrence  (1866)  says  he  saw  it  in 
magnolia  swamps  near  Atlantic  City,  but  no  farther  north.1  Dr.  C. 
C.  Abbott  in '1868  says  that  up  to  1850  it  was  as  abundant  as  the 
Scarlet  Tanager,  but  that  he  had  seen  no  nest  since  1855,  and  no  bird 
since  1862.  Writing  in  1870,2  he  extends  its  period  of  abundance  to 
1857,  and  in  18863  records  a  pair  nesting  near  Trenton  in  June,  1884. 
While  Dr.  Abbott's  statement  about  the  bird's  abundance  prior  to  1850 

1Ann.  N.  Y.  Lye.,  VIII.,  p.  286. 

2  Am.  Nat,  IV.,  p.  536. 

8  Upland  and  Meadow,  p.  118. 


250   BEPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

can  hardly  be  based  upon  personal  observation,  his  statements,  never- 
theless, constitute  the  bulk  of  our  knowledge  of  its  decrease  in  the 
State.  Later  we  have  only  John  Krider's  statement  that  he  had  taken 
the  nest  in  former  years  in  New  Jersey;  Thurber's  (1887)  mention  of 
it  as  an  accidental  visitant  to  Morristown,  and  the  record  of  a  young 
bird  taken  by  Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott  at  Princeton,  August  5th,  1880.1 

In  spite  of  the  fact  that  I  pointed  out  the  true  status  of  this  species 
in  southern  New  Jersey  in  1894-,2  it  is  recorded  as  a  breeding  species 
in  this  section  in  numerous  general  works  published  since  that  date, 
even  as  recently  as  1906  in  Chapman's  Birds  of  the  Vicinity  of  New 
York  City. 


Family   HIRUNDINID^E. 

THE  SWALLOWS. 

Swallows  are  wonderfully  adapted  to  the  life  they  lead ;  long,  nar- 
row wings,  suitable  for  rapid  flight;  a  large  mouth,  with  very  short 
bill,  suitable  for  gulping  down  such  insects  as  come  in  its  way,  and 
small  feet,  which  are  only  needed  when  alighting  on  the  nest  or  on 
some  ridge  pole,  branch  or  telegraph  wire. 

While  the  form  of  the  various  species  is  very  similar,  their  nesting 
habits  vary  a  great  deal. 

a.  Wing  over  5.50.  PURPLE  MARTIN,  p.  251 

aa.  Wing  under  5. 

6.  Back  glossy  blue  or  green. 

c.  Throat  white.  TREE  SWALLOW,  p.  253 

cc.  Throat  rusty. 

d.  Tail  forked.  BARN  SWALLOW,  p.  252 

dd.  Tail  square.  CLIFF  SWALLOW,  p.  251 

66.  Back  dull  brown ;   little,  if  any,  gloss. 

o.  Rump  rusty.  CLIFF  SWALLOW  (young),  p.  251 

cc.  Rump  uniform  with  the  back. 

d.  Entire  under  parts  white.          TREE  SWALLOW  (young),  p.  253 
dd.  Throat  and  breast  ashy,  abdomen  white. 

ROUGH-WINGED  SWALLOW,  p.  255 
ddd.  Throat  and  abdomen  white,  with  a  dusky  breast  band. 

BANK  SWALLOW,  p.  254 

1  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  67. 

2  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  122. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  XEW  JERSEY.  251 

611     Progne  subis   (Linnaeus). 
Purple  Martin. 

PLATE  65. 

Adult  male. — Length,  8.  '  Wing,  5.75.  Above  and  below,  uniform  glossy  viola- 
ceous steel-blue;  flight  feathers,  dull  black. 

Adult  female. — Above,  duller  and  mixed  with  gray  ;  under  parts,  sooty  gray  ; 
breast,  abdomen  and  crissum,  white,  more  or  less  narrowly  streaked  with  black. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Sooty  brown  above,  head  and  back  slightly  glossed 
with  steel-blue ;  below,  mouse-gray  on  throat,  breast  and  sides ;  on  abdomen, 
white,  narrowly  streaked  with  black. 

Young  male  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  darker.  In  first  breeding  season. — 
Like  adult  female,  but  with  some  glossy  steel-blue  feathers  scattered  here  and 
there. 

Nest  mainly  in  boxes  erected  fpr  its  use,  to  which  it  carries  twigs,  straw,  etc. ; 
eggs,  four  to  five,  white,  .95  x  .65. 

Common  summer  resident  in  the  southern  counties,  but  locally  dis- 
tributed ;  rare  northward.  Arrives  March  29th,  departs  September  1st. 

The  Martins  are  not  governed  in  their  distribution  by  the  presence  of 
Martin  boxes,  for  many  an  attractive  box  has  been  erected  in  vain, 
while  in  other  places  any  sort  of  cover,  even  the  hood  of  an  electric 
light,  has  proved  satisfactory. 

Colonies  occur  all  along  the  seaboard  and  throughout  the  pine  bar- 
ren wilderness,  in  which  districts  some  curious  make-shift  of  boxes 
are  to  be  seen,  but  in  the  other  parts  of  the  State  they  are  rare  or 
only  stragglers. 

The  Martins  make  a  great  disturbance  while  the  young  are  being 
raised,  and  later  the  whole  colony  may  be  seen  scouring  the  meadows 
for  food. 

612     Petrochelidon   lunifrons   (Say). 
Cliff  Swallow,  Eave  Swallow. 

Adults. — Length,  5-6.  Wing,  4.25.  Above,  head  and  back,  glossy  steel-blue, 
the  back  streaked  with  whitish ;  rump,  cinnamon  rufous ;  wings  and  tail,  dull 
black ;  forehead,  pinkish  or  rusty ;  sides  of  face  and  throat,  chestnut ;  center 
of  throat,  glossy  steel-blue ;  breast  and  sides,  grayish-brown,  tinged  with  chest- 
nut ;  middle  of  abdomen,  white ;  under  tail-coverts,  dusky,  edged  with  white. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  dull  brownish-black,  slightly  glossed  with 
blue  on  the  back  and  head  ;  rump,  cinnamon  rufous,  and  tertials  tipped  with 
the  same ;  sides  of  face,  dull  black,  throat  largely  the  same,  but  mottled  with 


252   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

cinnamon  and  white  feathers ;    sides  of  breast,  body,  flanks  and  crissum,  cinna- 
mon, somewhat  streaked  with  black ;    center  of  abdomen,  white. 

Nest  of  mud  shaped  like  a  retort  or  with  a  hole  in  the  side,  lined  with 
feathers ;  eggs,  four  to  five,  white,  spotted  with  reddish-brown,  .80  x  .55. 

Tolerably  common  transient  and  local  summer  resident,  especially 
in  the  pine  barrens.  Arrives  April  29th,  departs  September  1st. 

The  Cliff  Swallow  nests  in  colonies  usually  under  the  eaves  of  a  barn. 
It  is  decidedly  local  and  is  generally  reported  to  be  less  abundant 
than  it  was  thirty  or  forty  years  ago. 

It  nests  at  several  localities  in  Cape  May,  Cumberland  and  Bur- 
lington counties,  and  nested  near  Princeton  up  until  18961  (Babson). 
At  Plainfield  Mr.  Miller  reports  a  few  nesting  every  year,  while  Mr. 
Hales2  reports  it  at  Ridgewood,  and  Mr.  Thurber  at  Morristown.  Mr. 
S.  N.  Rhoads  found  it  plentiful  at  Greenwood  Lake  and  the  Wallkill 
Valley,  June,  1909.  Mr.  Crispin  says  it  formerly  bred  at  Salem. 


613     Hirundo  erythrogaster  Boddaert. 
Barn  Swallow. 

PLATE  66. 

Adults. — Length,  6-7.50.  Wing,  4.75.  Above,  glossy  steel-blue;  forehead, 
chestnut ;  outermost  tail  feathers  elongated,  all  but  middle  pair,  with  a  con- 
spicuous white  subterminal  spot  on  the  inner  web ;  under  parts,  light  cinnamon 
rufous,  deeper  and  more  chestnut  on  the  throat  and  breast,  the  steel-blue  coming 
around  on  the  sides  of  the  breast  forming  a  half  collar. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  much  duller ;  forehead,  gray ;  sides  of 
head  and  collar,  blackish;  outer  tail  feathers  only  a  little  elongated;  subter- 
minal spots  more  or  less  chestnut ;  under  side  much  paler. 

Nest  of  mud  lined  with  grass  and  feathers  plastered  against  a  rafter  in  a 
barn  or  stable ;  eggs,  four  to  six,  white,  spotted  with  brown  or  rusty,  .80  x  .55. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  10th  (April  23d),  de- 
parts September  10th. 

This  is  our  most  familiar  Swallow,  and  there  is  scarcely  a  barn  that 
has  not  one  or  more  pairs,  flying  in  and  out  twittering  as  they  go. 

Later  we  see  whole  families  sailing  low  over  the  ponds  or  meadows, 
feeding  on  the  wing  as  is  the  custom  of  their  kind. 

The  rusty  color  of  the  under  parts  distinguishes  them  from  all  but 
the  Cliff  Swallow,  while  the  forked  tail  is  in  strong  contrast  to  the 
nearly  square  tail  of  that  species. 


1  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  67. 

2  Bird  Lore,  1906,  p.  173. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  253 

614     Iridoprocne  bicolor  (Vieillot). 
Tree  Swallow,  White-bellied  Swallow. 

PLATE  67. 

Adults. — Length,  5-6.  Wing,  4.75.  Above,  bright  glossy  greenish  steel-blue ; 
lores,  black ;  under  surface,  pure  white.  In  autumn  the  tertials  are  broadly 
tipped  with  white. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  mouse-gray,  tertials  tipped  with  brownish- 
white  ;  below,  white,  often  with  a  shade  of  gray  across  the  breast. 

"Nest  in  holes  in  trees,  often  'old  Woodpeckers'  holes,  made  of  grass  and 
feathers  ;  eggs,  four  to  six,  white,  .75  x  .50. 

Common  transient  visitant,  and  summer  resident  in  the  pine  bar- 
rens, and  of  occasional  occurrence  in  winter.  Arrives  April  8th 
(April  22d),  departs  October  15th. 

The  Tree  Swallows  are  seen  at  their  best  along  the  seacoast  during 
August  and  September,1  when  they  collect  by  thousands,  circling 
about  over  the  marshes,  and  now  and  then  resting  on  the  telegraph 
wires,  where  they  sit  close  together,  lining  the  wires  as  far  as  the  eye 
can  reach,  or  settling  down  on  bayberry  bushes  to  feed  on  the  waxy- 
covered  fruit.  This,  as  far  as  I  am  aware,  is  the  only  departure  from 
an  insectivorous  diet  on  the  part  of  our  Swallows.  Mr.  Chapman2 
says  that  they  occur  on  the  Hackensack  marshes,  July  20th  to  October 
20th,  roosting  in  the  cat-tails.  At  Cape  May  Mr.  Hand  tells  me  they 
often  roost  in  shade  trees,  and  on  September  16th,  1903,  were  nearly 
drowned  out,  some  six  thousand  drenched  birds  being  down  on  the 
ground,  temporarily  unable  to  fly. 

Through  the  pine  barrens,  along  the  larger  rivers  and  about  swampy 
ponds  the  Tree  Swallow  nests  regularly,  preferring  the  half-rotten 
trees  that  grow  in  the  water,  but  there  seems  to  be  no  breeding  record 
for  the  northern  half  of  the  State,  the  most  northern  record  being  Mr. 
Bab  son's3  mention  of  three  pairs  nesting  on  Millstone  Creek,  near 
Princeton,  June  16th,  1900,  and  again  the  following  year. 

In  Cape  May  county  Mr.  H.  Walker  Hand  informs  me  he  has  seen 
them  some  years  all  winter,  especially  about  Lilly  Lake,  Cape  May 
Point.4 


1  Cf.  Childs,  Auk,  1900,  p.  67. 

2  Birds  Vicinity  of  N.  Y.,  p.  175. 

3  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  68. 

4  Cf.  also  Cassinia,  1904,  p.  68. 


254   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Mr.  F.  M.  Chapman1  records  a  flock  at  Englewood,  December  31st, 
1882,  and  W.  E.  D.  Scott2  saw  them  at  Squan  Beach,  November  16th, 
1880. 

616     Riparia   riparia    (Linnaeus). 
Bank  Swallow. 

PLATE  65. 

Adults. — Length,  4.75-5.50.  Wing,  4.  Above,  plain  grayish-brown,  darker 
on  the  head ;  under  surface,  white,  with  a  grayish-brown  band  across  the  breast. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  lower  back,  rump  and  breast  band,  and 
inner  wing  feathers  edged  with  whitish. 

Nest  of  grass  and  feathers  at  the  end  of  a  tunnel-like  hole  dug  by  the  bird 
in  the  face  of  a  sand  bank ;  eggs,  four  to  six,  white,  .70  x  .50. 

Common  local  summer  resident  where  suitable  nesting  sites  are 
available.  Arrives  April  14th  (April  19th),  departs  September  1st. 

The  Bank  Swallow  is  a  sociable  bird,  nesting  in  large  communities, 
the  entrances  to  their  nests  forming  row  upon  row  of  holes  on  the  face 
of  some  large  sand  bank,  in  front  of  which  the  birds  fly  back  and  forth 
uttering  their  characteristic  weak  cries. 

From  the  fact  that  available  nesting  sites  are  not  very  plentiful,  the 
birds  are  rather  local  in  distribution,  and  usually  occur  more  fre- 
quently along  creeks  and  rivers  which  have  steep  perpendicular  banks 
suitable  to  their  needs.  In  south  Jersey  they  occur  mainly  along  the 
Delaware  Valley. 

In  late  summer  the  Bank  Swallow  associates  to  some  extent  with 
the  other  species  that  gather  in  great  flocks  prior  to  their  migration 
southward. 

They  are  dull  brown,  like  the  Rough-wing,  but  the  dusky  breast 
band,  contrasting  with  the  white  throat  and  belly,  easily  distinguishes 
them. 


1  Auk,  1889,  p.  303. 

2  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1881,  p.  115. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  255 

617     Stelgidopteryx   serripennis    (Audubon). 
Rough-winged  Swallow. 

Adults. — Length,  5.50.  Wing,  4.50.  Above,  uniform  plain  brown ;  under 
surface,  white,  pale  gray  on  the  throat,  breast  and  sides;  outer  edge  of  outer- 
most wing  feathers  rough  to  the  touch,  owing  to  the  stiffened  reflexed  barbs. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  strongly  suffused  with  cinnamon  above 
and  below;  wing-coverts  and  tertials  broadly  tipped  with  cinnamon. 

Nest  of  grass  and  feathers  in  a  hole  in  a  bank  or  in  bridge  abutments  or  a 
stone  wall ;  eggs,  four  to  seven,  white,  .75  x  .52. 

Tolerably  common  summer  resident  as  far  north  at  least  as  Plain- 
field.  Arrives  April  13th  (April  19th),  departs  September  1st. 

This  is  a  bird  of  Carolinian  fauna;  rare  or  local  in  the  northern 
counties  of  the  State.  They  are  usually  seen  in  pairs  about  bridges  or 
quarries,,  and  are  distinguished  by  their  dull  brown  color  and  plain 
breasts. 

They  nest  at  Princeton  (Babson),  Plain  field  (Miller),  the  lower 
Hudson  Valley  (Chapman),  and  Paterson  ( J.  H.  Clark) ;  also  occa- 
sionally at  Morristown  (Thurber)  and  Summit  (Holmes).  Mr.  Chap- 
man also  found  them  breeding  on  the  upper  Delaware  at  High  Knob, 
June  10th,  1890. 

Family   BOMBYCILLID^E. 

THE  WAXWINGS. 

618     Bombycilla   garrula    (Linnaeus). 
Bohemian  Waxwing. 

Adults.— Length,  7.50-8.50.  Wing,  4.50.  Similar  to  B.  cedrorum  in  gen- 
eral appearance  but  grayer,  with  a  conspicuous  black  throat ;  chestnut  patches 
on  the  forehead  and  crissum  and  with  yellow  and  white  tips  to  the  wing 
feathers,  in  addition  to  the  wax-like  appendages  of  the  secondaries. 

Exceedingly  rare  winter  visitant.  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  (1868)1  records 
having  seen  two  specimens  shot  in  New  Jersey,  one  in  Cape  May 
county  the  other  in  Morris  county.  In  18842  he  records  two  specimens 

1  Birds  of  N.  J. 

2  Naturalist's  Rambles  about  Home. 


256   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

shot  many  years  ago,  both  "in  Mercer  county."    Mr.  T.  M.  Trippe  re- 
cords a  pair  "observed"  in  the  vicinity  of  Orange,  April  28th,  1867. x 

So  rare  is  this  bird  in  New  Jersey  that  its  only  claim  to  a  place  in 
the  avifauna  of  the  State  rests  entirely  upon  the  above  statements. 
None  have  been  seen  for  at  least  forty  years,  and  even  the  specimens 
mentioned  above  cannot  be  verified,  as  they  were  not  taken  by  their 
recorders.  It  is  not  clear  that  Mr.  Trippe  was  the  one  who  "observed" 
the  birds  he  records,  while  the  date  given  seems  hardly  possible,  and 
we  are  in  doubt  whether  Dr.  Abbott's  two  statements  refer  to  the  same 
birds  or  not. 

619     Bombycilla  cedrorum  Vieillot. 
Cedar  Waxwing,  Cedar-bird. 

PLATE    68. 

Adults. — Length,  6.50-7.50.  Wing,  3.75.  Above,  soft  grayish  olive-brown, 
more  pinkish  on  the  head,  which  has  an  erectile  crest ;  rump,  gray ;  wings  and 
tail,  blackish,  shaded  and  edged  with  gray ;  tail  with  a  broad  terminal  band  of 
bright  yellow  on  all  the  feathers ;  secondary  wing  feathers  with  curious  bright 
red  elongations  of  the  shafts  resembling  tips  of  sealing  wax ;  tail  feathers  and 
primaries  occasionally  bearing  similar  appendages ;  breast  and  throat,  pinkish- 
brown,  like  the  crown ;  abdomen,  pale  olive-yellow ;  crissum,  white ;  a  jet 
black  band  across  the  forehead  and  through  the  eye,  narrowly  bordered  with 
white  across  the  forehead  and  below  from  the  base  of  the  bill ;  chin,  black. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  grayer,  and  broadly  streaked  with  olive- 
brown  on  the  sides,  breast  and  flanks. 

The  development  of  the  wax-like  tips  is  independent  of  age  or  sex,  though 
they  are  less  frequently  found  in  the  young  and  females. 

Nest  of  grass,  shreds  of  bark,  etc.,  and  usually  with  some  mud  in  its  com- 
position, placed  in  a  tree  ten  to  thirty  feet  from  the  ground  ;  eggs,  three  to  five, 
light  drab  or  blue-gray,  spotted  with  black,  .85  x  .60. 

Common  summer  resident  and  of  irregular  occurrence  in  winter. 
Apparently  breeds  more  abundantly  in  the  northern  counties. 

The  Cedarbird  is  most  familiar  to  us  in  the  great  flocks  which  sweep 
down  into  the  cherry  trees  in  June,  with  faint  wheezy  notes  that  are 
hard  to  describe  and  have  more  the  quality  of  an  insect  note  than  of 
bird  music.  At  this  season,  when  most  birds  are  busy  raising  families, 
they  are  intent  on  feeding  with  apparently  no  thought  of  nest  or  young. 
Before  the  month  is  over  the  flocks  drift  away  again,  leaving  only  a 

1  Amer.  Nat.,  II.,  p.  380. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  257 

few  nesting  pairs  uliidi  are  not  very  conspicuous  in  our  summer  bird 
life. 

In  autumn,  winter  and  early  spring  we  again  see  the  vagrant  flocks 
of  (Vdarbirds  alighting  on  the  tree  tops,  sitting  upright  with  crests 
cii-ct  f«n  a  moment  or  two  and  then  whirling  away  with  a  few  sighing 
notes. 

Mr.  Chapman  records  a  nest,  with  eggs,  as  late  as  September  13th.1 


Family   LANIID^E. 

THE  SHRIKES. 

A  family  peculiar,  among  Passerine  birds,  for  their  raptorial  habits 
of  its  species.  The  strong  hooked  and  notched  bill  recalls  that  of  a 
Hawk. 

Our  two  species  belong  to  the  typical  Shrikes,  and  are  distinctly 
beneficial  birds,  feeding  on  mice  and  grasshoppers  for  the  most  part. 

a.  Wing,  4.35-4.60.  NORTHERN  SHRIKE,  p.  257 

aa.  Wing.  3.75-4.  MIGRANT  SHRIKE,  p.  258 

621      Lanius  borealis  Vieillot. 

Northern  Shrike,  Butcher-bird. 

PLATE  69. 

Adult  male. — Length,  9.50-10.50.  Wing,  4.50.  Above,  plain  blue-gray,  white 
on  the  rump,  forehead  and  some  of  the  scapulars ;  wing  and  tail,  black ;  sec- 
ondaries tipped  with  white :  outer  tail  feathers,  white,  others  tipped  with 
white  in  decreasing  amount,  sometimes  lacking  on  the  central  pair ;  under  sur- 
face, white :  chest  and  sides  of  body  more  or  less  mottled  with  narrow  dusky 
vermiculations ;  ear  region  and  spot  in  front  of  the  eye,  black. 

Adult  female. — Duller  in  color. 

Yoiuiff  in  first  autumn. — Brownish-gray  above,  head  markings,  wings  and 
tail  dusky  instead  of  black;  dusky  vermiculations  much  more  extensive,  cover- 
ing the  rump  and  all  the  lower  surface,  except  the  chin  and  lower  abdomen. 

Ii;itli<'r  srarc-e,  but  apparently  regular,  winter  visitant.  December 
•M  lo  March  1st. 

Wliile  with  us  the  Shrike  is  a  solitary  bird.  We  see  him  perched  on 
tin-  top  of  some  thorn  bush  on  the  meadow,  or  on  a  tall  tree  in  the 

1  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  1890,  p.  2. 

17 


258    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

pasture,  his  gray  and  black  colors  showing  clearly  in  the  sunlight. 
Then  he  flies,  and  the  white  patches  on  the  rapidly  moving  wings  at 
once  catch  the  eye.  As  he  nears  his  new  perch  he  flies  low  and  turns 
sharply  upwards  as  he  comes  to  rest. 

The  feeding  habits  of  the  Shrikes  are  peculiar,  they  being  the  only 
raptorial  birds  among  our  passerine  species.  They  not  only  catch 
and  kill  various  mice  and  sometimes  small  birds  in  addition  to  the 
usual  beetles  and  grasshoppers,  but  impale  them  on  sharp  thorns  or 
wedge  them  into  the  fork  of  a  branch,  where  the}^  are  said  to  frequently 
leave  them  and  return  to  the  hunt,  though  they  often  devour  them  on 
the  spot. 

622e     Lanius  ludovicianus  migrans  Palmer. 
Northern  Loggerhead  Shrike. 

Adults. — Length,  8.50-9.50.  Wing,  3.80.  Above,  plumbeous  gray,  paler  on 
the  rump,  some  of  the  scapulars  white ;  wing  and  tail  feathers,  black  ;  white 
tips  to  the  secondaries  and  to  all  but  the  two  middle  pairs  of  tail  feathers ; 
under  parts,  white,  slightly  shaded  with  gray  on  the  sides ;  a  black  patch  on 
the  side  of  the  head,  involving  the  region  about  the  eye  and  ear. 

Young  in  first  winter  have  wing  and  tail  duller,  not  jet  black,  and  some- 
times show  traces  of  dusky  vermiculations  on  the  breast. 

Rather  irregular  migrant,  especially  in  the  southward  flight;  Au- 
gust to  December. 

This  bird  occurs  singly,  as  a  rule,  during  August  and  September, 
though  occasional  in  winter  (December  and  January). 

The  following  have  been  recorded : 

A  number  taken  at  Princeton,  New  Brunswick  and  Barnegat,  Au- 
gust, 1878;  January,  1879;  W.  E.  D.  Scott.1 

Mt.  Ephraim,  near  Haddonfield ;  October  20th,  1884.  S.  N. 
Rhoads.2 

Tappan;  August  24th?  1888.    F.  M.  Chapman.3 

Cape  May;  August,  1890  and  1891.    W.  Stone.2 

Cape  May  Point ;  May,  1892.    W.  Stone.4 

Leonia;   September  27th,  1S98-5 

Ocean  View;   April  30th,  1901.    W.  L.  Baily.6 


1  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  IV.,  p.  82. 

2  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  125. 

3  Auk,  1889,  p.  304. 

4  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  II.,  p.  4. 

5  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  XI.,  p.  5. 

6  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  48. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  259 

Family   VIREONID^E. 

THE  VIREOS. 

A  group  of  small,  dull-colored  birds  resembling  the  wood  warblers 
in  habits,  and  often  associating  with  them.  They  are,  however,  more 
deliberate  in  action,  and  in  structure  differ  in  their  hooked  bill,  which 
resembles  that  of  the  Shrike,  though  of  course  it  is  much  smaller. 

The  Yireos  are  entirely  insectivorous  and  worthy  of  careful  protec- 
tion. The  nests  are  readily  recognized,  being  basket-like  pensile 
structures  swung  from  a  forked  branch. 

a.  Eye  ring  more  or  less  bright  yellow. 

6.  Breast  and  throat  bright  yellow,  abdomen  white. 

YELLOW-THROATED  VIREO,  p.  261 

6&.  Breast  and  abdomen  white,  flanks  pale  yellow.  WHITE-EYED  VIREO,  p.  262 
aa.  No  yellow  about  the  eye. 

&.  White  line  from  the  bill  to  the  eye  and  a  white  eye  ring. 

SOLITARY  VIREO,  p.  261 

&6.  A  white  line  from  the  bill  over  the  eye  and  along  the  side  of  the  crown, 
c.  White  line  bordered  above  with  black.  RED-EYED  VIREO,  p.  259 

cc.  White  line  not  bordered  with  black. 

d.  Lower  parts  grayish-white.  WARBLING  VIREO,  p.  260 

dd.  Lower  parts  pale  yellow.  PHILADELPHIA  VIREO,  p.  260 


624     Vireosylva  olivacea   (Linnaeus). 
Red-eyed  Yireo. 

PLATE  70. 

Adults. — Length,  5.50-6.50.  Wing,  3.25.  Above,  grayish  olive-green;  top 
of  head,  mouse-gray,  a  white  line  from  the  bill  over  the  eye,  bordered  with  black 
where  it  joins  the  crown,  ami  a  dusky  streak  through  the  eye ;  under  parts, 
white. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  pale  drab  ;  below,  white ;  wings  and  tail, 
olive,  as  in  the  adult. 

Nest  a  pensile  structure  of  fine  pieces  of  bark,  paper  and  rotten  wood,  and 
almost  always  with  pieces  of  thick  white  spider  web  on  the  outside;  hung 
from  a  fork  at  the  end  of  a  branch  usually  ten  to  twenty  feet  up ;  eggs,  three 
to  four,  white,  with  a  few  brown  or  black  spots  on  the  larger  end,  .85  x  .55. 

Abundant  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  30th  (May  6th),  de- 
parts October  10th. 


260   KEPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

The  Eed-eye  is  our  commonest  Vireo,  one  or  more  pairs  occurring 
in  every  piece  of  woodland,  except  in  the  dry  pine  barrens.  He  is  a 
most  persistent  singer,  keeping  up  his  deliberate  warble  throughout 
the  day.  Wilson  Flagg  admirably  describes  the  song  as  "You  see  it — 
you  know  it — do  you  hear  me — do  you  believe  it  ?"  There  is  a  pause 
between  each  sentence  as  if  the  bird  were  conducting  a  sort  of  argu- 
ment; a  peculiarity  that  has  earned  him  the  name  "Preacher-bird" 
in  some  places.  The  actions  of  the  Vireo  are  quite  as  deliberate  as 
his  song ;  he  goes  along  the  twigs  in  a  matter-of-fact  fashion,  turning 
his  head  first  on  one  side  then  on  the  other,  stopping  to  pick  up  a 
bug  or  a  caterpillar  and  then,  wiping  his  bill  on  the  limb,  continues 
on  his  search. 

626     Vireosylva  philadelphica  Cassin. 
Philadelphia  Vireo. 

Adults. — Length,  4.75.  Wing,  2.50.  Above,  grayish  olive-green,  gray  on  the 
head  ;  a  dull  whitish  streak  over  the  eye  and  a  dusky  streak  through  it ;  under 
parts,  dull  sulphur  yellow. 

In  autumn  the  gray  crown  is  less  distinct. 

Very  rare  transient  visitant. 

The  following  are  the  only  records  of  its  capture : 

Princeton;  September  21st,  1876.  W.  E.  D.  Scott  (Princeton 
Coll.).1 

Princeton;  September  28th,  1876.  W.  E.  D.  Scott  (Princeton 
Coll.).1 

Anglesea;    September  21st,  1889.     H.  Wenzel  (P.  Laurent  Coll.).2 


627     Vireosylva   gilva    (Vieillot). 
Warbling  Vireo. 

Adults. — Length,  5-5.50.  Wing,  2.75.  Above,  light  mouse-gray,  faintly 
tinged  with  olive  on  the  back  and  rump ;  a  whitish  line  from  the  bill  over  the 
eye ;  under  parts,  white,  tinged  with  olive  on  the  sides.  In  autumn,  greener 
on  the  back  and  yellower  on  the  sides ;  sides  of  breast,  buffy-olive. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  wood  brown  ;  white  below,  tinged  with  yellow 
on  the  crissum. 

Xest  pensile,  resembling  that  of  the  Red-eye ;  eggs,  three  to  four,  white,  with 
a  few  black  specks  at  the  larger  end,  .72  x  .52. 

1  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  70. 

2  O.  and  O.,  1892,  p.  89. 


THE  BIRDS  OP  NEW  JERSEY.  261 

Common,  but  local  summer  resident.  Arrives  May  2d  (May  6th), 
depr-rts  September  25th. 

The  \\'arbling  Vireo  is  a  bird  of  the  shade  trees  of  the  village  streets 
and  lawns,  with  the  habits  of  other  Vireos,  but  an  entirely  different 
song ;  a  fine  continuous  warble,  recalling  somewhat  the  song  of  the 
Orchard  Oriole,  a  bird  of  similar  surroundings.  It  is  more  or  less 
local  and  apparently  more  plentiful  in  the  northern  half  of  the  State. 
Mr.  F.  M.  Chapman  found  it  at  High  Knob,  Sussex  county,  and  it  is 
abundant  in  the  Wallkill  Valley  (Rhoads). 


628     Lanivireo  flavifrons   (Vieillot). 
Yellow-throated  Vireo. 

Adults. — Length,  5-5.75.  Wing,  3.  Above,  yellowish-olive;  scapulars,  rump 
and  upper  tail-coverts,  gray ;  wings  and  tail,  black,  most  of  the  feathers  nar- 
rowly edged  with  white ;  two  conspicuous  wing  bars ;  under  parts,  bright 
canary-yellow,  tinged  with  olive  on  the  sides ;  abdomen  and  crissum,  pure 
white ;  lores  and  eye  ring,  yellow. 

Youny  in  first  summer. — Smoky  gray  above,  white  below ;  chin  and  throat, 
pale  yellow. 

Nest  pensile  from  a  high  branch  similar  to  that  of  the  Red-eye,  but  covered 
externally  with  lichens ;  eggs,  three  to  four,  white,  spotted  sparingly  at  the 
larger  end  with  black  and  brown,  .80  x  .60. 

Tolerably  common  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  29th  (May  3d), 
departs  September  15th. 

The  Yellow-throated  Vireo  is  a  bird  of  the  tree-tops,  and  hence  is 
not  so  well  known  as  the  Red-eye,  and  may  be  more  plentiful  than  we 
suppose.  His  notes  are  stronger  and  sweeter  than  those  of  the  Red- 
eye, with  a  longer  pause  between,  and  there  seems  to  be  three  slightly 
varying  phrases  repeated  in  the  same  order  again  and  again,  the  first 
decidedly  harsh :  "See  saw — I'm  up  here — You're  down  there." 


629     Lanivireo    solitarius    (Wilson). 
Blue-headed  Vireo,  Solitary  Vireo. 

Adults. — Length,  5-G.  Wing,  3.  Above,  olive-green,  mixed  with  slate-gray  on 
the  back  ;  head,  plain  slate-gray  ;  wings  and  tail,  black,  the  feathers  mostly  edged 
with  white  or  yellowish ;  two  prominent  wing  bars ;  under  parts,  silky  white, 
yellow-olive  on  the  sides ;  eye  ring  and  lores,  white,  with  a  dusky  spot  just 
before  the  eye,  extending  onto  the  eye  ring. 

Nest  and  eggs  similar  to  those  of  the  Red-eyed  Vireo,  .80  x  .60. 


262   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Tolerably  common  transient  visitant,  no  doubt  breeding  at  High 
Knob,  Sussex  county,  where  Mr.  Chapman  found  it  in  June,  1890.1 
Spring,  April  20th  to  May  5th;  autumn,  September  20th  to  October 
15th. 

A  tree  Vireo  of  much  the  same  habits  and  appearance  as  the  Red- 
eye, but  with  some  harsher  notes  in  its  warble.  It  is  our  earliest 
Vireo  in  springtime,  and  can  always  be  identified  by  the  blue-gray 
head  and  white  eye  ring. 


631     Vireo    griseus    (Boddaert). 
White-eyed  Vireo. 

PLATE  70. 

Adults. — Length,  4.50-5.  Wing,  2.40.  Above,  dull  olive-green,  grayish  on 
the  neck  ;  wings  and  tail,  dusky,  edged  with  olive  or  yellowish-white ;  two  yel- 
lowish-white wing  bars ;  under  parts,  white ;  sides  of  neck,  grayish ;  sides  of 
body  and  crissum,  sulphur  yellow  ;  a  tinge  of  the  same  color  on  the  breast ; 
lores  and  eye  ring,  pale  yellow,  interrupted  by  a  dusky  spot  in  front. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Dull  brownish-olive  above ;  below,  white,  tinged 
with  buff  on  the  breast  and  sulphur  yellow  on  the  flanks  and  crissum. 

Nest  pensile,  swung  from  the  fork  of  a  low  bush,  and  usually  with  much 
grass  in  its  construction ;  eggs,  three  to  four,  white,  with  very  small  black 
spots  on  the  larger  end,  .75  x  .55. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  27th  (May  3d),  departs 
October  1st. 

This  is  a  characteristic  bird  of  low  swampy  woods  throughout  the 
State,  especially  along  the  streams  of  south  Jersey,  in  and  out  of  the 
pine  barrens.  The  habits  of  the  White-eye  are  similar  to  those  of 
other  Vireos,  with  the  exception  that  he  confines  himself  to  low  bushes 
and  never  gets  up  into  the  trees. 

His  call  is  a  loud  warble  resembling  the  syllables  "wit-see-a-willie." 

1  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  1890-91,  p.  4. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  Xi<;\V  JERSEY.  263 

Family   MNIOTILTIDJE. 

THE  WOOD  WARBLERS. 

A  large  family  of  small,,  generally  brightly  colored  birds,  mostly 
arboreal,  some  terrestrial  or  living  among  the  bushes.  Almost  entirely 
insectivorous,,  with  slender  sharp  pointed  bills.  The  songs  of  most  of 
the  species  are  weak  and  lisping,  though  some  are  much  stronger  and 
melodious. 

These  little  birds  form  the  bulk  of  the  great  night  nights  of  the 
spring  and  fall  migrations.  A  few  are  familiar  summer  residents,  but 
the  majority  spend  the  breeding  season  in  the  depths  of  the  northern 
woodland  and  forests.  On  their  migration  in  May  and  September, 
however,  they  are  always  conspicuous,  thronging  the  tree-tops  as  they 
search  for  food. 

o.  No  yellow  in  the  plumage. 

6.  Colors  orange,  black  and  white. 

c.  Throat  black.  REDSTART,  p.  291 

cc.  Throat  orange.  BLACKBURNIAN  WARBLER,  p.  279 

66.  Colors  blue,  black  and  white. 

c.  Throat  black.  BLACK-THROATED  BLUE  WARBLER,  p.  274 

cc.  Throat  white.  CERULEAN  WARBLER,  p.  277 

666.  Under  parts  chestnut  and  white. 

c.  Throat  chestnut.  BAY-BREASTED  WARBLER,  p.  278 

cc.  Throat  white.  CHESTNUT-SIDED  WARBLER,  p.  277 

6666.  No  orange,  blue  or  chestnut  in  the  plumage. 
c.  Streaked  below,  at  least  on  the  sides. 
d.  Streaked  on  the  back. 

e.  Back  black  and  white. 

BLACK  AND  WHITE  WARBLER,  p.  266 
ee.  Back  black  and  gray.    BLACK-POLL  WARBLER,  p.  279 
eee.  Back  olive  with  fine  black  streaks. 

BLACK-POLL  WARBLER  (female),  p.  279 
f.  Wing,  2.50. 

BLACKBURNIAN  WARBLER  (young),  p.  279 
//.  Wing,  2.75. 

BLACK-POLL  WARBLER  (young),  p.  279 
dd.  Not  streaked  on  the  back. 

e.  Middle  of  crown  dull  buff,  bordered  by  black. 

OVENBIRD,  p.  283 

ee.  Crown  like  the  back,  a  light  stripe  over  eye. 
f.  Throat  speckled  to  the  chin. 

WATER  THRUSH,  p.  284 
ff.  Chin  and  upper  throat  not  speckled. 

LOUISIANA  WATER  THRUSH,  p.  285 


264        REPORT  OF  XE\V  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

cc.  Not  streaked  below. 

d.  Slightly  streaked  on  back  or  rump ;    general  color  above 
yellow-olive. 

e.  Wing,  2.40-2.60! 

CHESTNUT-SIDED  WARBLER  (young),  p.  277 
ee.  Wing,  2.80-2.90. 

BAY-BREASTED  or  BLACK-POLL  WARBLER  ( young ),  p.  278 
dd.  Strongly  streaked  black  and  gray  on  back :    cap.  throat 
and  flanks  chestnut.  BAY-BREASTED  WARBLER,  p.  278 

ddd.  Plain  above. 

e.  Crown  striped  buff  and  black,  back  olive. 

WORM-EATING  WARBLER,  p.  267 
ee.  Head  uniform  with  the  back. 

/.  Two  rather  dull  wing  bars. 
g.  Brown  above. 

PINE  WARBLER  (young),  p.  280 
gg.  Blue-green  above. 

CERULEAN  WARBLER  (young),  p.  277 
//.  No  wing  bars. 

fj.  A  white  spot  at  the  base  of  the  primaries. 
BLACK-THROATED  BLUE  WARBLER 
(female),  p.  274 
gg.  No  white  spot  on  the  wings. 

TENNESSEE  WARBLER,  p.  272 
aa.  Some  yellow  in  the  plumage. 

&.  Streaked  below,  at  least  on  the  sides. 

c.  General  color  of  under  parts  black  and  white  or  brown   and 
white. 

d.  Yellow   restricted  to  the   sides  of  the   breast,   rump  and 

crown.  MYRTLE  WARBLER,  p.  275 

dd.  Yellow  restricted  to  sides  of  face  and  neck  ;    throat  black, 

back  olive.         BLACK-THROATED  GREEN  WARBLER,  p.  280 

cc.  General  color  below  buff  and  dull  brown,  yellow  restricted  to 

under  tail-coverts  and  rump.  PALM  WARBLER,  p.  281 

ccc.  Throat  bright  orange,  breast  white  tinged  with  yellow. 

BLACKBURNIAN  WARBLER,  p.  279 
cccc.  General  color  below  yellow. 

d.  Streaks  chestnut  or  rusty. 

e.  Crown  yellow.  YELLOW  WARBLER,  p.  274 

ee.  Crown  chestnut.        YELLOW  PALM  WARBLER,  p.  282 
dd.  Streaks  black  or  dusky  and  obscure. 
e.  Back  not  streaked  or  spotted. 

f.  Back  black.  MAGNOLIA  WARBLER,  p.  276 

ff.  Back  blue  gray.  CANADA  WARBLER,  p.  2J»1 

iff.  Back  brown. 

YELLOW  PALM  WARBLER  (young),  p.  282 
ffff.  Back  olive. 

ff.  Wing  under  2.20. 

PRAIRIE  WARBLER  (young),  p.  282 
fjg.  Wing  over  2.75.        PINE  WARBLER,  p.  280 
ee.  Back  streaked  or  spotted. 

f.  Back  olive,  spotted  with  chestnut. 

PRAIRIE  WARBLER,  p.  282 


THE  BIRDS  OP  NEW  JERSEY.  265 

ff.  Back  olive,  spotted  with  black. 
g.  Ear-coverts  chestnut. 

CAPE  MAY  WARBLER,  p.  273 
gg.  Head  olive,  streaked  with  black. 

BLACKBURNIAN  WARBLER  (young),  p.  279 
ggg.  Head  plain  gray. 

MAGNOLIA  WARBLER  (young),  p.  276 
66.  Not  streaked  below. 

c.  A  chestnut  and  black  spot  on  the  breast. 

PARULA  WARBLER,  p.  272 
cc.  Throat  black. 

d.  Belly  gray,  yellow  restricted  to  crown  and  wing-coverts. 
GOLDEN-WINGED  WARBLER,  p.  269 

dd.  Belly  yellow.  HOODED  WARBLER,  p.  290 

ccc.  Throat  gray  or  ashy,  abdomen  yellow. 

d.  A  black  patch  on  breast.         MOURNING  WARBLER,  p.  287 
dd.  No  black  patch  on  breast. 

r.  A  white  eye  ring.        CONNECTICUT  WARBLER,  p.  287 
ce.  No  eye  ring.      MOURNING  WARBLER  (female),  p.  287 
cccc.  Throat  white  or  gray,  abdomen  not  yellow. 

d.  Yellow  on  crown  and  wing-coverts  and  rump  only. 
e.  Sides  of  body  chestnut. 

CHESTNUT-SIDED  WARBLER,  p.  277 

ee.  Sides  not  chestnut.  GOLDEN-WINGED  WARBLER,  p.  269 
dd.  Yellow  on  sides  of  chest,  wings  and  tail  only. 

REDSTART  (female),  p.  291 
ccccc.  Throat  yellow  or  olive-yellow. 

d.  Tail  feathers  partly  yellow. 

YELLOW  WARBLER  (young),  p.  274 
dd.  Tail  feathers  partly  white. 

e.  Back  olive  or  slaty,  head  more  or  less  yellow. 
f.  Whole  head  deep  yellow. 

PROTHONOTARY  WARBLER,  p.  267 
ff.  Fore  part  of  crown  yellow. 

g.  A  black  spot  in  front  of  the  eye. 

BLUE-WINGED  WARBLER,  p.  268 
f/f/.  No  spot  in  front  of  the  eye. 

HOODED  WARBLER,  p.  290 
ee.  No  yellow  on  crown. 

f.  Wings  bluish-gray. 

PARULA  WARBLER  (female  and  young),  p.  272 
//.  Wings  olive. 

TENNESSEE  WARBLER  (young  and  fern.),  p.  272 
fff.  Wings  dull  brownish. 

PINE  WARBLER  (female),  p.  280 
ddd.  Tail  with  no  white  markings. 

<.  Wing,  3.  CHAT,  p.  289 

ee.  Wing,  2.60  or  less. 

f.  Entire  cheeks  and  frontlet  black,  or  merely  a 
dusky  area  below  the  eye  (young). 
g.  Wing,  2.60.    KENTUCKY  WARBLER,  p.  286 
gg.  Wing,  2.20. 

MARYLAND  YELLOW-THROAT,  p.  288 


266   KEPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 


ff.  No  black  on  cheeks  or  frontlet. 

g.  Crown  more  or  less  black,  frontlet  yellow. 
WILSON'S  WARBLER,  p.  291 
gg.  Crown  with  a  central  chestnut  or  orange 
spot. 
h.  Spot  chestnut. 

NASHVILLE  WARBLER,  p.  270 
hh.  Spot  orange. 

ORANGE-CROWNED  WARBLER,  p.  271 
ggg.  Crown  uniform  with  the  back. 

h.  Lower    abdomen    white,    much    paler 

than  the  breast  or  under  tail-coverts. 

MARYLAND  YELLOW-THROAT 

(female),  p.  288 

hh.  Abdomen  yellow,  uniform  with  breast 
and  under  tail-coverts. 

MOURNING  WARBLER,  p.  287 


636     Mniotilta  varia    (Linnaeus). 
Black-and-White  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.60-5.50.  Wing,  2.75.  Above,  striped  everywhere  with 
black  and  white ;  sides  and  top  of  head,  black,  with  a  white  stripe  over  each 
eye  and  down  the  middle  of  the  crown  ;  wings,  black,  edged  with  grayish-white ; 
inner  feathers  broadly  edged  with  pure  white  and  coverts  tipped  with  the  same, 
forming  two  wing  bars;  tail,  grayish-black ;  middle  feathers,  gray,  with  black 
along  the  shaft,  two  outer  pairs  with  a  terminal  white  spot  on  the  inner  vane ; 
body  below  everywhere  striped  with  black  and  white,  except  the  center  of  the 
breast,  which  is  white.  In  autumn  the  throat  is  nearly  pure  white. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  the  white  above  tinged  with  buff ;  stripes  on  the 
under  side  restricted  to  the  sides  of  the  body  and  more  or  less  indistinct ;  sides 
washed  with  buff. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Dark  brown  above,  streaked  with  a  lighter  shade ; 
head  streaks,  dull  white ;  below,  dull  white,  washed  with  brown  on  throat  and 
sides  and  obscurely  streaked. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  autumnal  adult,  but  streaks  below  much 
narrower  and  restricted  to  the  sides  of  the  body. 

Nest  of  grass,  bark,  etc.,  on  the  ground  under  the  shelter  of  a  log ;  eggs,  four 
to  five,  white,  spotted  with  brown  about  the  larger  end,  .65  x  .50. 

Common  summer  resident  in  the  northern  counties;  less  abundant 
breeder  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State.  Arrives  April  18th  (April 
26th),  departs  October  5th. 

The  Black-and-White  Warbler  is  a  "tree-creeper"  of  no  mean  ability, 
and  in  the  migrations  we  see  him  constantly  circling  the  trunks  in  a 
way  that  would  do  credit  to  a  Creeper  or  Nuthatch.  His  song  is  a 


THE  BIKDS  OF  NEW  JEKSEY.  267 

squeaking  see-saw,  "ki-tsee,  ki-tsee,  ki-tsee,  see,  see,"  accented  on  the 
last  syllable  of  each  couplet. 

This  species  nests  rather  sparingly  both  within  and  without  the  pine 
barrens  in  south  Jersey  and  rather  more  plentifully  northward. 


637     Protonotaria  citrea   (Boddaert). 
Prothonotary  Warbler. 

Adults. — Length,  5.25.  Wing,  2.90-3.  Back  of  head  to  middle  of  back,  yel- 
low-olive ;  lower  back,  rump,  wings  and  tail,  blue-gray ;  head,  crown  and  under 
parts  to  flanks,  bright  canary-yellow ;  under  tail-coverts,  white,  and  white 
marks  on  inner  webs  of  all  but  the  central  tail  feathers. 

The  Prothonotary  Warbler's  claim  to  a  place  in  the  New  Jersey  list 
rests  upon  a  specimen  obtained  at  Princeton  by  Professor  A.  H. 
Phillips,  May  8th,  1894,  *  and  an  individual  seen  at  Haddonfield, 
early  in  the  eighties,  by  Mr.  S.  N.  Ehoads.2 

639     Helm-itheros  vermivorus  (Gmelin). 
Worm-eating  Warbler. 

Adults. — Length,  5.50.  Wing,  2.75.  Above,  grayish  olive-green  ;  crown  and 
sides  of  head,  buff ;  a  broad  black  stripe  down  each  side  of  the  crown  and  a 
narrow  one  behind  the  eye ;  under  parts,  buff,  becoming  whitish  on  the  abdo- 
men ;  crissum  mottled  with  olive. 

Young  in  first  summer.— Everywhere  cinnamon,  darker  above;  wing  and  tail, 
olive,  head  markings  indistinctly  indicated. 

Rest  on  the  ground  of  leaves  and  grass,  lined  with  moss  stems ;  eggs,  four 
to  five,  white,  speckled  with  reddish-brown,  .70  x  .52. 

Local  and  rather  uncommon  summer  resident  in  the  middle  counties 
and  Hudson  Valley.3  Not  found  in  the  pine  barrens,  and  very  rare 
on  the  Delaware,  south  of  Trenton.  Arrives  April  29th  (May  9th),  de- 
parts September  1st. 

This  is  a  rather  common  bird  in  wooded  ravines  in  southeastern 
Pennsylvania,  but  is  rarer  in  New  Jersey  and  unknown  as  a  breeder 
in  the  southern  half  of  the  State. 


1  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  71. 
-  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  129. 

a  Chapman.  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  V.,  p.  8,  and  Birds  vicinity  N.  Y., 
p.  177,  also  Rhoads,  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  50. 


268    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Mr.  Miller  finds  it  locally  common  at  Plainfield.  Mr.  Babson  thinks 
it  breeds  rarely  at  Princeton,1  and  Mr.  Hann  found  one  nest  at  Chat- 
ham, and  Mr.  Holmes2  regards  it  as  rare  at  Summit.  Mr.  Thurber 
found  it  rare  at  Morristown.  Mr.  S.  N".  Rhoads  found  it  breeding  at 
Greenwood  and  Echo  Lakes,  Passaic  county,  June,  1909. 

The  only  record  of  its  nesting  in  west  Jersey,  south  of  Trenton,  is 
a  female,  apparently  with  young,  observed  by  Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads,  near 
Camden,  in  July,  1880.3 


641     Vermivora  pinus  (Linnaeus). 
Blue-winged  \Yarbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.80.  Wing,  2.40.  Above,  yellowish  olive-green. 
brighter  on  rump  and  bright  yellow  on  the  crown ;  wings  and  tail,  bluish-gray ; 
two  white  wing  bars  and  three  outer  tail  feathers  largely  white  on  the  inner 
webs ;  under  surface,  bright  yellow ;  a  jet  black  line  through  the  eye. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  duller,  and  yellow  not  so  pure. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar  to  adult  female. 

Nest  on  the  ground  in  low  woods,  composed  of  leaves  and  shreds  of  bark ; 
eggs,  four  to  six,  white,  with  small  scattered  spots  of  reddish-brown,  .65  x  .50. 

Common  summer  resident  in  the  middle  and  northeastern  counties, 
rare  on  the  northern  edge  of  the  pine  barrens  and  absent  in  the  north- 
western counties  and  in  the  pine  barrens  and  apparently  also  in  south- 
west Jersey.  Mr.  J.  Fletcher  Street  has  found  it  along  the  Rancocas 
in  the  breeding  season,  and  Mr.  R.  C.  Harlow  found  it  at  Clementon, 
June  9th,  1906,  and  June  6th,  1907,  also  at  Bennett,  in  lower  Cape 
May  county,  May  24th,  1907,  and  June  3d,  1908.  Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads, 
in  a  long  experience,  never  saw  it  at  Haddonfield.  Arrives  May  1st 
(May  6th),  departs  September  1st. 

Common  breeder  in  the  lower  Hudson  Valley  (Chapman),  Demarest 
(Bowdish),  Montclair,  Summit  and  Chatham  (Hann  and  Callender), 
Plainfield  (Miller)  ;  rare  breeder  at  Paterson  ( J.  H.  Clark)  and  Mor- 
ristown (Thurber)  and  on  Mt.  Lucas  only,  in  the  Princeton  region 
(Babson) .  Mr.  Rhoads  saw  four  at  Greenwood  Lake,  June,  1909. 

This  species  is  found  near  the  ground  in  low  woods  and  on  the  edge 
of  swampy  thickets.  Its  note  is  'an  insect-like  "s-e-e-e,  z-e-e-e-e." 


1  Birds  of  Princeton. 

2  Wilson,  Bull.,  1905,  p.  11. 

3  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1882,  p.  55. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  269 

642     Vermivora    chrysoptera    (Linnaeus). 
Golden-winged  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5.10.  Wing,  2.45.  Above,  bluish-gray;  crown,  yellow  ; 
wing-coverts  tipped  with  yellow  forming  two  bands;  three  outer  tail  feathers 
with  large  white  spots  on  the  inner  web,  the  outermost  more  than  half  white; 
throat,  black';  rest  of  under  parts,  white,  washed  with  gray  on  the  sides ;  sides 
of  face,  black,  with  a  broad  white  stripe  separating  this  from  the  black  on  the 
throat,  and  a  short  white  line  over  the  eye.  In  autumn  the  black  throat  is 
usually  veiled  with  short  white  tips  to  the  feathers. 

Adult  female. — Tinged  with  green  above,  and  black  areas  replaced  by  dark 
gray. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  olive-gray ;  below,  pale  olive-yellow  ;  throat, 
dusky. 

Nest  on  the  ground,  built  of  leaves  and  grass ;  eggs,  four  to  six,  white, 
speckled  on  the  larger  end  with  reddish-brown,  .62  x  .50. 

Rather  rare  transient  visitant,  spring,  May  12th  to  16th;  autumn, 
August  15th  to  September  5th,  and  rare  summer  resident  in  the 
northern  counties. 

The  Golden-wing  is  a  close  ally  of  the  Blue-winged  Warbler  which 
it  resembles  in  habits.  Mr.  Thurber  calls  it  a  rare  summer  resident 
at  Morristown,  and  Mr.  P.  B.  Philipp  has  found  it  nesting  at  Newton, 
Sussex  county.  Dr.  Dwight  and  Mr.  Rhoads  found  it  at  Lake  Hopat- 
cong  in  summer  and  regard  it  as  a  breeder  there,  and  in  June,  1909, 
Mr.  Rhoads  found  it  at  various  points  in  northern  Passaic  and  Sussex 
counties. 

This  spiv K>  and  the  Blue-winged  Warbler  are  supposed  to  hybridize, 
as  only  in  this  way  can  we  account  for  the  curious  birds  known  as 
Bicwsters  and  Lawrence's  Warblers  which  are  intei mediate  between 
them. 

Vermivora   leucobronchialis   (Brewster). 

Brewster's  Warbler. 
Vermivora    leucobronchialis    (Brewster). 

Lawrence's  Warbler. 

Those  birds  are  now  generally  recognized  as  hybrids,  between  the  fiiue- 
winsed  and  Golden-winged  Warblers.  firewater's  Warbler  is  essentially  a 
(iolden-wing  without  the  black  throat,  while  Lawrence's  Warbler  is  a  Blue- 
wing  with  a  black  throat,  but  various  intermediate  forms  have  also  been  ob- 
tained. 


270    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

The  following  have  been  secured  in  Xew  Jersey: 

Morristown;    Aug.  Blanchet;    May  1859  ;J  leucobronchialis. 

Chatham;    Aug.  Blanchet;    May,  1874 ;2  lawrencei  (type). 

Maplewood;  C.  B.  Riker;  May  llth,  1883  ;3  leucobronchialis  JL 
pinus. 

Hoboken;   D.  B.  Dickinson;    September,  1876;*  lawrencei. 

Morristown;   Frank  Blanchet;  May  15th,  1884 ;5  lawrencei  x  pinus. 

Englewood;    F.  M.  Chapman;    May  15th,  1886 ;6  leucobronchialis. 

Englewood;   F.  M.  Chapman;   June  26th,  1887 ;6  leucobronchialis. 

Englewood;    F.  M.  Chapman;   July  31st,  1887 ;6  leucobronchialis. 

M.orristown ;    E.  C.  Thurber;    May  15th,  1887  ;T  leucobronchialis. 

Geo.  E.  Hix8  saw  a  typical  leucobronchialis  at  Englewood,  May 
13th,  1905,  while  Mr.  Chapman  heard  a  male  leucobronchialis  in  full 
song  at  Englewood,  May  llth,  1890,9  and  in  1892  found  a  pair  of 
birds  breeding,  one  leucobronchialis,  the  other  pinus.™ 


645     Vermivora  rubricapilla   (Wilson). 
Nashville  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.75.  Wing,  2.30.  Above,  gray  on  head  and  neck ; 
center  of  crown,  chestnut ;  rest  of  the  upper  parts,  olive-green,  no  wing  bands 
or  tail  marks ;  under  parts,  plain  yellow,  tinged  with  olive  on  the  sides.  In 
autumn  the  chestnut  patch  is  more  or  less  obscured. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  chestnut  patch  obscure  or  lacking. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Brownish  above,  olive  on  the  rump ;  below,  yellow- 
ish-brown, brighter  yellow  on  the  abdomen. 

Nest  on  the  ground,  composed  of  moss,  grass  and  fine  rootlets ;  eggs,  four  to 
five,  white,  speckled  with  brown  at  the  larger  end,  .60  x  .45. 

Tolerably  common  transient  visitant.  Spring,  May  6th  to  14th; 
autumn,  September  1st  to  October  1st.  Rare  summer  resident  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  State. 

1  Thurber,  Auk,  1886,  p.  411. 

2  Herrick,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila.,  1874,  p.  320. 
8  Auk,  1885,  p.  378. 

4  Herrick,  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1877,  p.  19. 

5  Brewster,  Auk,  1886,  p.  411. 

6  Auk,  1887,  p.  348. 
*  Auk,  1887,  p.  349. 

8  Auk,  1905,  p.  417. 

9  Auk,  1890,  p.  291. 

10  Auk,  1892,  p.  302. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  271 

The  Nashville  is  a  rather  inconspicuous  Warbler,  difficult  to  identify 
in  the  tops  of  the  }roung  trees,  where  it  is  usually  found,  along  the  edge 
of  old  clearings.  Its  song,  however,  is  peculiar,  and  is  represented  by 
Mr.  Langille  as  "ke-tsee,  ke-tsee,  ke-tsee;  chip-ee-chip-ee-chip-ee- 
chip,"  the  latter  half  being  much  like  the  trill  of  the  Chipping  Spar- 
row. 

Mr.  Chapman  took  a  breeding  female  at  Englewood,  June  16th, 
188?,1  which  is  our  only  evidence  of  its  nesting  in  the  State. 


646     Vermivora  celata   (Say), 
Orange-crowned  Warbler. 

Adults. — Length,  4.75-5.25.  Wing,  2.40.  Above,  olive,  brightest  on  the  rump, 
crown  with  a  patch  of  tawny  ochraceous  often  obscured  by  grayish  tips ;  under 
parts,  pale  olive-yellowish,  very  faintly  streaked  on  the  sides  with  dusky,  a 
faint  pale  line  over  the  eye. 

Young  in  first  autumn  has  the  crown  patch  less  distinct. 

Very  rare  transient  visitant.  February,  March  and  October,  pos- 
sibly winter  resident  in  the  southernmost  counties. 

The  only  New  Jersey  records  appear  to  be  as  follows : 
Rancocas  Creek;   early  in  February,  1860.    Turnbull. 
Hoboken;   May,  1865.    C.  S.  Gallraith  (Coll.  Amer.  Mus.  Natural 
History).2 

Haddonfield;   March  22d,  1883.     S.  N.  Rhoads  (Coll.  W.  Stone).3 
Anglesea;  October  6th,  1889.    P.  Laurent  (Coll.  P.  L.).4 
Haddonfield;  February  25th,  1909.    R.  T.  Moore  (Coll.  R.  T.  M.). 
Thurber  also  mentions  it  as  a  very  rare  transient  at  Morristown,  and 
John  Kricler  states  that  he  got  one  in  New  Jersey  in  December,  when 
the  ground  was  covered  with  snow. 


1  Auk,  1889,  p.  304. 

2  Howell,  Auk,  1893,  p.  90. 

8  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1883,  p.  179. 
4  O.  and  O.,  1892. 


272   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

647     Vermivora  peregrina  (Wilson). 
Tennessee  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5.  Wing,  2.60.  Above,  plain  olive-green,  with  top  of 
head  gray ;  a  whitish  line  over  the  eye  and  a  dusky  streak  through  it ;  lower 
parts,  white,  tinged  with  buff  on  the  sides ;  no  wing  bars  or  tail  markings. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  with  the  gray  cap  obscured  by  olive. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar,  but  more  buffy  below  and  gray  cap  scarcely 
distinguishable. 

Eare  transient  visitant,  more  common  in  autumn.  Spring,  May 
15th  to  35th;  autumn,  August  25th  to  October  1st  (I3abson). 

One  of  the  least  distinctive  of  our  migrant  Warblers,  closely  re- 
sembling the  Xashville  in  habits.  Very  rare  in  spring. 

648a     Compsothlypls  americana   usneae  Brewster. 
Northern  Parula  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.25^.75.  Wing,  2.30.  Above,  grayish-blue,  with  a 
yellow-olive  triangular  patch  on  the  back ;  coverts  broadly  tipped  with  white 
forming  two  bars ;  three  outer  tail  feathers  with  subterminal  white  spots  on 
the  inner  webs,  the  outermost  the  largest ;  under  side  of  body,  yellow  on  throat 
and  chest,  a  pectoral  band  of  chestnut  with  a  darker  spot  in  the  center ;  abdo- 
men and  sides,  white,  the  latter  streaked  with  chestnut;  a  white  spot  on  the 
lower  eyelid  and  a  blackish  spot  in  front  of  the  eye.  In  autumn  the  colors  are 
veiled  with  olive  above  and  yellow  below,  so  that  the  markings  are  somewhat 
obscured. 

Adult  female. — Always  duller  than  the  male,  with  chestnut  breast  markings 
often  lacking. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Gray,  lighter  beneath,  and  tinged  with  olive  above ; 
throat,  yellowish. 

Nest  in  tufts  of  Usnea  moss,  made  wholly  of  the  moss  itself ;  eggs,  four  to 
five,  white,  with  fine  rufous  spots  at  the  larger  end,  .64  x  .44. 

Common  summer  resident  in  the  pine  barrens  and  casually  so  else- 
wheic,  though  mainty  a  transient  in  other  parts  of  the  State. 

Anive?  April  28th  (May  ith),  departs  October  1st. 

The  pine  barren  swamps,  where  all  the  bushes  and  dead  trees  are 
festooned  with  the  long,  gray  ''old  man's  beard"  or  Usnea  moss,  are 
the  home  of  the  Parula,  and  from  every  side  one  can  hear  the  fine 
Hoping  song,  "pe-tsee,  pe-tsee,  pe-tsee-see,"  as  Professor  Jones  writes 
it. 

The  birds  aie  governed,  in  their  distribution,  by  the  abundance  of 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  273 

the  moss,  and  as  it  is  rare  and  local  outside  of  the  pine  barrens,  they 
are  seldom  found  breeding  out  of  this  district. 

Mr.  P.  B.  Philipp  found  them  nesting  regularly,  but  not  commonly, 
at  Newton,  Sussex  county,  in  June,  1906  and  1908,  and  Mr.  F.  M. 
Chapman  saw  one  at  High  Knob,  in  the  same  county,  June  10th,  1890. 

In  migration  the  Parula  associates  with  the  mixed  Warbler  throng 
and  exhibits  no  peculiarities  of  habit.1 


650     Dendroica  tigrina   (Gmelin). 
Cape  May  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.75-5.50.  Wing,  2.85.  Above,  olive-green,  shaded 
with  gray  ;  top  of  head,  black ;  lower  rump,  yellowish  ;  back  obscurely  spotted 
with  black ;  wings  and  tail,  dusky ;  a  broad  white  wing  bar  and  white  sub- 
terminal  spots  on  the  three  outer  pairs  of  tail  feathers ;  sides  of  face,  bright 
chestnut ;  line  over  the  eye,  yellow,  largely  suffused  with  chestnut,  and  a  yellow 
patch  on  the  side  of  the  neck  below  the  chestnut ;  under  parts,  pale  yellow,  be- 
coming white  on  the  middle  of  the  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts ;  throat, 
breast  and  sides  heavily  streaked  with  black,  the  first  sometimes  washed  with 
chestnut.  In  autumn,  much  veiled  with  grayish  edgings  to  the  feathers. 

Adult  female. — Much  paler;  head,  olive,  spotted  with  dusky;  a  faint  yellow 
streak  over  the  eye,  a  pale  yellow  one  on  each  side  of  the  neck ;  under  surface, 
white,  in  older  birds  more  or  less  tinged  with  yellow  and  streaked  with  gray 
on  the  throat,  breast  and  sides ;  sides  of  face,  gray. 

Young  in  first  autumn.- — Similar  to  adult  female. 

Very  rare  transient  visitant. 

Mr.  Babson,  in  his  Birds  of  Princeton,  states  that  W.  E.  D.  Scott 
secured  several  specimens  in  the  autumn.  Thurber  records  one  taken 
at  Chatham,  Morris  county,  by  Maj.  Blanchet.  Mr.  Chapman  ob- 
tained one  at  Englewood,  and  Krider  states  that  he  has  taken  it  in 
New  Jersey,  but  so  far  as  I.  am  aware  no  others  have  been  recorded 
from  the  State  since  the  male  described  by  Alex.  Wilson,  which  was 
obtained  by  George  Ord,  in  1809,  near  Cape  May,  to  which  capture  the 
bird  owes  its  name,  and  a  female  obtained  by  Chas.  L.  Bonaparte,  at 
Bordentown,  May  14th,  about  1825.  Recently  Mr.  Robt.  T.  Moore 
obtained  two  at  Haddonfield,  September  22d,  1897,  and  October  2d, 
1906;  while  Mr.  S.  N".  Rhoads  saw  a  male  in  full  song  at  the  same 
place,  May  15th,  1909. 

The  chestnut  ear  patch  is  an  excellent  "ear  mark"  for  identification. 


1  Cf.  Wilde,  Auk,  1897,  p.  289,  and  Wilson,  Bull.,  XVII.,  p.  4,  for  good  ac- 
counts of  its  nesting  in  New  Jersey. 

18 


274   KEPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

652     Dendroica  aestiva    (Gmelin). 
Yellow  Warbler. 

PLATE    71. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.50-5.25.  Wing,  2.50.  Above,  yellow-olive ;  bright 
yellow  on  the  crown ;  wings  and  tail,  dusky,  edged  with  yellow ;  tips  of  the 
coverts  forming  two  fairly  distinct  bands ;  inner  webs  of  all  but  the  central 
pair  of  tail  feathers  more  or  less  yellow  ;  sides  of  face  and  whole  lower  surface, 
rich  golden  yellow,  the  breast  and  sides  streaked  with  chestnut.  In  autumn 
greener  above,  and  streaks  somewhat  veiled  by  yellow  tips. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  duller  and  greener,  with  streaks  fewer  and  nar- 
rower. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Male  similar  to  adult  female ;  female  still  duller, 
with  no  streaks  below  and  throat  whitish. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  pale  olive-brown ;  below,  sulphur  yellow, 
without  streaks. 

Nest  of  soft  vegetable  fibers  and  vegetable  down  in  a  bush  near  water ;  eggs, 
four  to  five,  bluish-white,  with  a  wreath  of  brown  spots  at  the  larger  end, 
.65  x  .50. 

Common  summer  resident  though  somewhat  local.  Arrives  April 
24th  (April  30th),  departs  September  25th. 

This  is  our  best-known  breeding  warbler.  In  southern  Jersey  it 
is  always  found  near  the  water,  nesting  plentiful  in  the  swampy 
thickets  along  the  Delaware  and  its  tributaries,  but  in  the  pine  barren 
swamps  I  have  never  detected  it. 

In  the  northern  counties  it  is  said  to  be  more  a  bird  of  the  garden 
and  orchard,  breeding  in  the  shrubbery  near  houses. 

Its  nest  is  a  favorite  repository  for  the  Cowbird,  and  the  Warbler 
has  been  known  to  raise  the  sides  in  order  to  bury  the  intruder's  egg 
in  the  bottom,  depositing  its  own  eggs  on  the  upper  floor. 

The  song  of  the  Yellow  Warbler  is  a  liquid  "sweet-sweet-sweet- 
sweeter-sweeter." 

654     Dendroica    cserulescens    (Gmelin). 
Black-throated  Blue  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.75-5.50.  Wing,  2.00.  Above,  uniform  grayish-blue, 
a  square  white  patch  covering  the  bases  of  the  primary  wing  feathers,  con- 
spicuous even  when  the  wings  are  closed ;  two  outer  tail  feathers  with  white 
subterminal  areas,  the  third  often  edged  with  white  near  the  tip ;  under  parts, 
white,  with  the  throat,  sides  of  head  and  sides  of  breast  black.  In  autumn  the 
throat  feathers  are  frosted  with  white  and  there  is  often  an  olive  tinge  to  the 
upper  parts. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  275 

Adult  female. — Uniform  olive  above,  pale  olive-yellow  below  ;  wing  edgings 
tinged  with  gray  ;  the  white  wing  spot  is  less  conspicuous  than  in  the  male ; 
there  is  a  white  spot  on  the  lower  eyelid  and  a  short  streak  above  the  eye ;  the 
outermost  tail  feather  has  a  lighter  subterminal  area  often  scarcely  distinguish- 
able. In  autumn,  deeper  olive. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Olive-brown  above,  brownish-white  below,  yellowish 
on  the  throat. 

Common  transient  visitant-  Spring,  April  27th  (May  4th)  to 
May  20th;  autumn,  August  25th  to  October  10th.  Probably  rare 
breeder  in  Sussex  county  where  Mr.  S.  N".  Rhoads  saw  one  June  5th, 
1909,  at  Wawayanda  Lake. 

This  is  one  of  the  species  composing  the  regular  Warbler  waves  of 
May,  which  mark  the  height  of  spring  migration.  These  assemblages, 
which  seem  to  contain  all  the  known  varieties  of  Warblers,  so  thickly 
do  they  swarm  in  the  tree-tops — now  one  kind,  now  another — coming 
within  the  range  of  our  glass,  are  characteristic  of  most  of  the  State, 
but  they  seem  to  avoid  the  dry  pine  barrens,  the  lower  trees  and 
drier  soil,  and  prevalence  of  pines  being  apparently  not  to  their  liking. 

The  Black-throated  Blue  Warbler,  both  the  male  and  female,  may 
be  easily  recognized  by  the  white  spot  on  the  middle  of  the  wing  at 
the  base  of  the  primaries,  a  mark  not  common  to  any  other  species. 

The  song  of  this  species  has  a  peculiar  harsh  or  buzzing  quality, 
"wee,  zwee,  zwe-e-e-." 

655     Dendroica  coronata   (Linnaeus). 
Myrtle  Warbler,  Yellow-rumped  Warbler. 

PLATE  72. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5-6.  Wing,  2.80.  Above,  bluish-gray,  with  black 
streaks  broadest  on  the  back ;  a  yellow  patch  on  the  crown  and  rump ;  wings 
and  tail,  blackish,  edged  with  gray ;  wing-coverts  broadly  tipped  with  white, 
forming  two  conspicuous  bars ;  three  outer  tail  feathers  with  subterminal  white 
patches  on  the  inner  webs ;  under  surface,  white,  with  a  large  black  breast  patch 
extending  down  the  sides  of  the  chest,  where  it  is  bordered  just  under  the  edge 
of  the  wings  with  yellow ;  flanks  streaked  with  black ;  sides  of  face,  black,  with 
a  short  white  streak  over  the  eye  and  a  white  spot  on  the  lower  lid.  In  winter, 
veiled  above  and  below  with  olive  and  gray. 

Adult  female. — Rather  smaller.  More  or  less  brown  above ;  sides  of  face, 
brown  ;  black  on  breast  not  so  extensive  and  broken  by  white  edgings  to  the 
feathers,  yellow  much  paler. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  adult  female,  but  browner,  with  streaking 
of  upper  parts  obscured ;  breast  and  sides  tinged  with  brown  and  thickly 
streaked  with  black,  streaks  more  or  less  obscured  by  the  light  edges  to  the 
feathers. 


276   EEPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Common  transient  visitant  and  common  winter  visitant  especially 
near  the  coast.  Spring,  March  29th  (April  24th)  to  May  20th; 
autumn,  September  25th  to  November  1st. 

In  the  bayberry  thickets  and  cedars  along  the  coast  of  New  Jersey 
and  northward  as  far  as  Englewood,  the  Myrtle  Warblers  may  be  seen 
in  flocks  all  winter  long,  the  wax-covered  berries  of  the  bayberry  (Wax 
Myrtle)  affording  them  their  principal  food  at  this  season. 

In  the  interior  of  the  State  they  also  occur  casually  in  winter — 

Summit  (Hann),  Plainfield  (Miller),  Crosswicks  (C.  -C.  Abbott), 
Burlington  (Miss  Minnie  V.  Mynn),  Haddonfield  (S.  N.  Rhoads). 

In  the  early  spring  they  start  northward,  and  are  usually  among  the 
earlier  Warblers  of  the  spring  migration. 

The  Myrtle  Warbler  is  rather  deliberate  in  its  actions,  hopping  from 
limb  to  limb,  with  wings  drooping  so  that  the  yellow  rump-patch  is 
conspicuously  displayed.  Its  winter  note  is  a  characteristic  chipp ;  its 
song  a  trill  or  twitter. 

This  is  the  only  member  of  the  Warbler  family  to  winter  regularly 
in  the  State. 

657     Dendroica  magnolia  (Wilson). 
Magnolia  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.50-5.  Wing,  2.35.  Above,  black ;  top  of  head,  except 
the  forehead,  gray ;  rump,  yellow ;  wing-coverts  largely  white,  forming  a  large 
conspicuous  patch,  the  usual  double  bars  running  together ;  the  middle  portion 
of  all  but  the  central  pair  of  tail  feathers  white  on  the  inner  web  for  the  same 
distance  on  each  feather,  making  a  conspicuous  broad  band  across  the  tail  when 
expanded ;  sides  of  face,  black,  with  a  white  line  over  the  eye ;  under  parts, 
bright  yellow,  heavily  streaked  with  black  on  the  chest  and  sides,  streaks  often 
confluent  on  the  middle  of  the  chest ;  under  tail-coverts,  white.  In  autumn, 
top  and  sides  of  head  and  hind  neck  uniform  gray ;  back,  olive-green,  with 
black  centers  to  the  feathers ;  rump,  yellow ;  upper  tail-coverts,  black ;  two 
narrow  white  bars  on  the  wings;  under  parts  with  black  streaks  obscured  by 
yellow  tips  and  largely  restricted  to  the  sides. 

Adult  female. — Similar  to  male,  but  gray  extending  back  over  the  hind  neck 
and  back  streaked  with  olive;  stripes  below  narrower. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Like  autumnal  male,  but  duller,  with  streaks  above 
and  below  obscure,  and  throat  washed  with  ashy. 

Common  transient  visitant.  Spring,  May  7th  to  12th;  autumn, 
August  20th  to  October  5th. 

The  Magnolia  Warbler  is  always  recognized  by  the  white  band 
across  the  middle  of  the  tail. 

Its  note,  as  described  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Langille,  is  "chee-to,  chee-to, 
chee-tee-ee,"  a  clear  rapid  whistle  ending  in  a  falling  inflection. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  -NEW  JERSEY.  277 

658     Dendroica  cserulea  (Wilson). 
Cerulean  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4-5.  Wing,  2.50.  Above,  grayish  cerulean  blue,  back 
streaked  with  black  and  rump  feathers  with  black  bases,  wings  with  two  white 
bars,  tail  with  white  subterminal  spots  on  all  but  the  center  pair  of  feathers ; 
ear-coverts,  grayish ;  under  parts,  white,  streaked  on  the  sides  with  black, 
strongly  tinged  with  grayish-blue ;  a  band  of  the  same  color  across  the  chest. 

Adult  female. — Grayish  olive-green  above,  brighter,  often  bluish,  on  the  head, 
no  streaks ;  under  parts,  white,  tinged  with  pale  yellow,  and  a  superciliary 
stripe  of  the  same. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  adult  female,  but  more  streaked  on  the 
sides. 

Very  rare  straggler  during  migration. 

The  only  New  Jersey  records  of  the  Cerulean  Warbler  are  one 
killed  by  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott,  near  Trenton,1  and  one  secured  at  Boon- 
ton,  Morris  county,  September  1st,  1887,  by  S.  D.  Judd.2 

659     Dendroica   pensylvanica    (Linnaeus). 
Chestnut-sided  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.75-5.25.  Wing,  2.50.  Above,  heavily  streaked  with 
black  on  a  whitish  or  olive  ground  ;  whole  top  of  head,  yellow ;  two  pale  yel- 
lowish bands  on  the  wings,  three  outer  tail  feathers  largely  white  on  the  inner 
webs ;  sides  of  face,  black ;  ear-coverts  and  sides  of  neck,  white ;  under  parts, 
pure  white,  a  rich  chestnut  stripe  running  from  the  black  at  the  base  of  the 
bill  to  the  flanks.  In  autumn  entirely  different,  bright  yellow-olive  above  with 
concealed  black  centers  to  the  feathers  of  the  back ;  below,  pure  white,  except 
a  wash  of  chestnut  on  the  flanks. 

Adult  female. — Similar  to  male,  but  duller ;  crown,  greenish  and  chestnut, 
stripes  not  so  extensive. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Duller  than  the  adult  male  in  autumn,  no  stripes 
above  and  no  chestnut  on  the  flanks. 

Nest  in  low  bushes,  similar  to  that  of  the  Yellow  Warbler ;  eggs,  four  to  five, 
white,  speckled  with  brown  or  gray,  .65  x  .50. 

Common  transient  visitant  in  the  southern  half  of  the  State,  and 
summer  resident  in  the  northern  counties.  Spring,  May  5th  to  15th; 
autumn,  August  15th  to  September  25th. 

1  Birds  of  New  Jersey,  1868. 

2  Auk,  1897,  p.  326. 


278    EEPOET  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Nests  from  Plainfield  (Miller)  to  Demarest  (Bowdish),  and  Al- 
pine (Ehoads),  and  at  Summit  (Hann),  Lake  Hopatcong  (Dwight) 
and  High  Knob,  Sussex  county  (Chapman),  Sussex  and  Passaic 
counties  generally  (Ehoads). 

It  has  also  been  seen  in  June  on  Mt.  Lucas,  near  Princeton,  where 
it  no  doubt  breeds  sparingly,  but  this  is  the  most  southern  station 
(Babson). 

The  Chestnut-sided  Warbler  in  migration  associates  with  the 
various  other  species  that  make  up  the  great  warbler  waves,  and  ex- 
hibits no  peculiarities  in  habits  or  haunts. 

In  its  summer  home  it  is  a  bird  of  open  clearings  covered  with  low 
second  growth. 

Its  song  closely  resembles  that  of  the  Yellow  Warbler  and  may  be 
represented  by  the  syllables  "tsee,  tsee,  tsee,  tsee, — wee  tsee." 


660     Dendroica  castanea  (Wilson). 
Bay-breasted  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5-6.  Wing,  2.80.  Above,  gray,  somewhat  tinged  with 
buff  and  broadly  streaked  with  black,  except  on  the  rump ;  top  of  head,  chest- 
nut ;  forehead  and  sides  of  head,  black ;  sides  of  neck,  buff ;  two  broad  wing 
bars,  two  outer  tail  feathers  with  white  subterminal  spots ;  under  surface  of 
body,  chestnut,  except  the  center  of  the  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts,  which 
are  buffy-white.  In  autumn  yellowish-olive  above  streaked  with  black  on  the 
head  and  back ;  below,  pale  buff,  white  in  the  middle  of  abdomen  and  a  strong 
wash  of  chestnut  on  the  flanks ;  upper  and  lower  eyelids,  white. 

Adult  female. — Similar  to  the  male,  but  much  smaller,  with  chestnut  area 
much  reduced. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  autumnal  adult,  but  chestnut  on  the 
flanks  a  mere  trace. 

Usually  a  rather  rare  transient  visitant,  but  common  in  some 
seasons,  and  always  more  plentiful  in  autumn.  Spring,  May  10th  to 
20th:  autumn,  August  20th  to  October  1st. 

The  Bay-breast  is  always  more  abundant  in  autumn,  at  which  time 
it  is  very  hard  to  distinguish  it  from  the  Black-poll. 

Like  most  migrant  warblers  it  is  rare  in  the  pine  barrens. 


THE  BIRDS  OF   X  K\V  .JERSEY.  279 

661      Dendroica   striata    (Forster). 
Black-poll  Warbler. 

Adult  male.— 'Length,  5.50.  Wing,  2.80.  Above,  gray,  streaked  with  black; 
gray  replaced  by  white  on  the  hind  neck ;  whole  top  of  head,  black  ;  wing- 
coverts  broadly  tipped  with  white,  forming  two  bars ;  sides  of  face,  white ; 
under  parts,  white,  streaked  with  black  from  the  chin  down  the  sides  of  the 
throat  to  the  flanks ;  two  outer  tail  feathers  with  subterminal  white  spots.  In 
autumn  olive-green  above,  streaked  with  black  on  the  back ;  below,  pale  yellow- 
ish, with  dusky  stripes  on  the  sides  and  flanks ;  upper  and  lower  eyelids,  white. 

Adult  female. — Above,  olive-green  ;  head,  neck  and  back  distinctly  streaked 
with  black  ;  below,  white,  tinged  with  yellow  and  finely  streaked  with  black  on 
the  sides  of  the  throat  and  body.  Resembles  the  male  in  autumn,  but  more 
streaked  above. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  autumnal  adult,  but  less  streaked,  nearly 
uniform  below. 

Abundant  transient  visitant.  Spring,  May  10th  to  June  1st; 
autumn,  September  10th  to  October  15th.  In  the  exceptionally 
late  season  of  1907  it  was  seen  at  Moorestown  until  June  17th. 

The  Black-poll  is  a  late  migrant,,  bringing  up  the  rear  of  the  spring 
procession.,  and  appears  to  outnumber  any  of  the  other  species. 

His  note  is  a  delicate  insect-like  "tsee,  tsee,  tsee,  tsee,  tsee,  tsee," 
all  in  one  pitch. 

662     Dendroica  fusca   (Miiller). 
Blackburnian  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.50-5.50.  Wing,  2.75.  Above,  black,  streaked  with 
white  on  the  back  and  neck ;  crown  with  a  median  stripe  of  orange ;  wings 
with  the  lesser-coverts  broadly  tipped  with  white  and  the  greater-coverts  largely 
white,  forming  together  a  large  white  area ;  three  outer  tail  feathers  largely 
white  on  the  inner  web,  the  fourth  with  a  white  spot;  under  parts  brilliant 
orange  from  the  chin  to  the  chest,  including  the  sides  of  the  head,  except  the 
ear-coverts,  which  are  black ;  abdomen,  white ;  a  row  of  black  streaks  from 
the  neck  to  the  flanks  on  each  side.  In  autumn  quite  different,  olive-gray  above 
streaked  with  black,  streaks  coarse  on  the  back  ;  two  distinct  white  bars  on  the 
wings ;  under  surface,  pale  yellow,  tinged  with  orange  on  the  throat  and  breast ; 
abdomen,  yellowish-white ;  sides  streaked  with  black. 

Adult  female. — Similar  to  male,  but  much  duller,  gray  above  instead  of 
black  in  spring,  and  head  streaked  with  black,  browner  above  in  autumn. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Like  autumnal  adult  female,  young  females  still 
duller,  obscurely  streaked  above  and  with  only  a  wash  of  yellow  on  the  breast 
below. 

Tolerably  common  transient  visitant.  Spring,  May  4th  to  15th; 
autumn,  August  25th  to  October  15th. 


280        REPORT  OF  JXTEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

667  Dendroica  virens   (Gmelin). 
Black-throated  Green  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.50-5.25.  Wing,  2.50.  Above,  yellowish  olive-green, 
some  of  the  feathers  of  the  back  centered  with  black ;  wing-coverts  broadly 
tipped  with  white,  forming  two  bands ;  three  outer  tail  feathers  with  large 
white  areas  on  the  inner  webs ;  forehead,  cheeks  and  sides  of  neck,  and  broad 
line  over  the  eye,  bright  yellow ;  throat,  breast  and  sides  of  body,  black ;  middle 
of  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts,  white,  slightly  tinged  with  pale  yellow.  In 
autumn  the  black  is  veiled  with  yellow  tips  to  the  feathers. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  duller,  and  with  less  black;  chin  and  upper 
throat  usually  yellowish-white. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  adults,  but  with  much  less  black  and 
with  long  yellowish  tips  to  the  feathers.  In  the  female  there  is  no  black  on 
the  breast  and  only  black  streaks  on  the  sides. 

Nest  in  trees  or  sometimes  near  the  ground ; ,  eggs,  three  to  four,  white,  with 
a  wreath  of  brown  and  lilac  spots,  .60  x  .50. 

Common  transient  visitant.  Spring,  April  28th  (May  3d)  to  May 
15th;  autumn,  September  1st  to  October  10th. 

Only  one  nest  of  this  species  has  been  found  in  the  State.  It  was 
discovered  by  Mr.  B.  S.  Bowdish,  at  Demarest,  June  5th,  1904.1  That 
it  may  prove  a  regular  summer  resident,  in  the  same  region,  is  sug- 
gested by  the  fact  that  Messrs.  S.  N.  Rhoads  and  Wm.  B.  Evans  found 
it  at  Alpine,  on  the  palisades,  in  June,  1901,2  and  in  June,  1909,  Mr. 
Rhoads  found  them  evidently  breeding  at  Greenwood,  Wawayanda  and 
Echo  Lakes. 

An  easily  recognized  member  of  the  spring  Warbler  host,  with  a 
most  distinctive  song,  "pee,  tee,  chee-o,  tee,"  as  given  by  Professor 
Jones,  the  third  and  fourth  notes  joined  together  and  representing  a 
drop  from  the  former  pitch,  to  which  it  returns  on  the  last  note ;  the 
first,  second  and  fifth  are  short  or  staccato. 


671     Dendroica  vigors!  (Audubon). 
Pine  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5-5.50.  Wing,  2.75-3.  Above,  olive-green;  wings  and 
tail,  dusky,  the  former  with  two  whitish  wing  bars,  the  latter  with  large  white 
areas  on  the  inner  webs  of  the  two  outer  pairs  of  feathers ;  below,  yellow,  with 
indistinct  dusky  streaks  on  the  sides  of  the  breast;  middle  of  abdomen  and 
under  tail-coverts,  white;  a  faint  line  of  yellow  just  above  and  below  the  eye. 
In  autumn  the  colors  are  softer  and  more  blended. 

1  Auk,  1906,  p.  17. 

2  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  50. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  281 

Adult  female. — Much  browner  above  and  paler  beneath,  often  without  a  trace 
of  yellow. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Brown  above,  drab  beneath,  somewhat  mottled  with 
dark  gray ;  center  of  abdomen,  whitish  ;  wing  and  tail  feathers  as  in  the  adult. 

Nest  of  strips  of  bark,  leaves,  etc.,  in  a  pine  tree,  twenty  or  thirty  feet  up; 
eggs,  four  to  five,  grayish-white,  with  a  ring  of  brown  spots  at  the  larger  end, 
.68x.52. 

Common  summer  resident  in  the  pine  barrens;  elsewhere  a  rare 
transient.  Arrives  March  30th,  departs  October  5th. 

The  Pine  Warbler  is  one  of  the  most  characteristic  birds  of  the 
pine  barrens  of  the  southern  part  of  the  State.  It  is  deliberate  in  its 
movements,  slowly  exploring  the  thick  bunches  of  pine  needles  or  oc- 
casionally clinging  to  the  trunk  of  the  tree  in  pursuit  of  insects. 

In  plumage  it  is  one  of  the  plainest  of  our  Warblers.  Its  song  is 
a  clear  trill,  closely  resembling  that  of  the  Chipping  Sparrow. 

While  undoubtedly  nesting  abundantly  all  through  the  pines,  the 
nest  is  exceedingly  hard  to  find,  and,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  the  only 
ones  found  recently  were  one  discovered  by  Mr.  R.  T.  Moore,  near 
Tuckahoe,1  May  13th,  1908,  and  two  found  by  Mr.  H.  H.  Hann,  at 
Chatsworth,  May  28th  and  June  1st,  1904.1 

At  High  Knob,  Sussex  county,  Mr.  F.  M.  Chapman  found  a  colony 
of  these  birds,  June  10th,  1890,  and  secured  a  young  one,  which  is 
the  only  evidence  of  their  nesting  outside  of  the  barrens.  At  Engle- 
wood  he  had  seen  it  but  twice.2 

Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads  saw  one  at  Haddonfield,  on  January  30th,  1898, 
and  possibly  a  few  may  winter  regularly  among  the  pines.3 


672     Dendroica  palmarum  (Gmelin). 
Palm  Warbler. 

Similar  to   the   next   in   general   appearance  but   much   paler,    with   yellow 
largely  replaced  by  white  and  size  smaller.     Length,  4.50-5.50.    Wing,  2.50. 

Rare  transient  visitant ;  the  bulk  of  the  migration  taking  place  west 
of  the  Alleghanies. 

One  was  taken  at  Princeton,  October,  1877,  by  Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott  :4 

1  Cassinia,  1908,  p.  29. 

2  Auk,  1889. 

8  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  III.,  p.  2. 
*Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  74. 


2S2    REPORT  OF  XEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

another  was  obtained  by  Mr.  H.  C.  Oberholser,1  at  Red  Bank,  Mon- 
mouth  county,  September  28th,  1889 ;  still  another  I  secured  at  Cape 
May,  September  llth,  1893,  while  Mr.  W.  D.  W.  Miller2  found  them 
rather  common  near  Plainfield,  September  23d  to  October  4th,  1903. 


672a     Dendroica  palmarum   hypochrysea  Ridgway. 
Yellow  Palm  Warbler,  Yellow  Red-poll  Warbler. 

Adults  in  spring. — Length,  5-5.75.  Wing,  2.75.  Above,  olive-brown,  passing 
into  olive-yellow  on  the  rump  ;  back  and  nape  distinctly  streaked  with  dusky ; 
wing  and  tail,  dusky,  the  latter  with  white  areas  at  the  tips  of  the  inner  webs 
of  the  two  outer  pairs  of  feathers ;  top  of  head,  bright  chestnut,  with  a  yellow 
line  over  the  eye ;  under  parts,  canary-yellow  ;  ear-coverts,  sides  of  throat  and 
chest  streaked  with  chestnut. 

Adults  in  autumn. — Much  duller,  more  olive  below  ;  chestnut  crown  much 
more  veiled  with  olive  or  only  present  in  a  few  spots ;  streaks  everywhere  in- 
distinct and  veiled. 

Common  transient  visitant.  Spring,  April  10th  (April  17th)  to 
April  25th;  autumn,  October  10th  to  20th.  Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads  took 
a  specimen  at  Mays  Landing,  December  2d,  1892. 3 

This  warbler  has  many  peculiarities;  it  arrives  early  in  the  spring 
before  the  great  warbler  flights,  and  is  a  bird  of  the  ground  or  low 
bushes;  its  most  characteristic  habit,  however,  is  the  regular  wagging 
of  the  tail  after  the  manner  of  the  Titlark  or  Water  Thrush. 


673     Dendroica  discolor  (Vieillot). 

Prairie  Warbler. 

PLATE  71. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.25-5.  Wing,  2.25.  Above,  olive-green,  mottled  with 
bright  chestnut  across  the  back ;  wings  and  tail,  dusky ;  lesser  wing-coverts 
broadly  tipped  with  yellow,  forming  a  prominent  band  ;  greater-coverts  slightly 
edged  with  white;  four  outer  tail  feathers  more  or  less  white,  the  outermost 
mainly  white  even  on  the  base  of  the  outer  web,  decreasing  to  an  oval  spot  on 
the  fourth  feather ;  below,  bright  yellow,  heavily  streaked  with  black  on  the 
sides  of  the  breast  and  abdomen  ;  a  yellow  line  from  the  bill  over  the  eye,  a 


1  Auk,  1895,  p.  185. 

2  Bird  Lore,  1903,  p.  199. 

3  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  137. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  XKW  .JERSEY.  283 

black  line  through  the  eye,  a  yellow  streak  below  it  and  a  black  line  separating 
this  from  the  throat,  also  a  triangle  of  black  on  each  side  of  the  neck.  In* 
autumn  similar,  but  with  the  black  streaks  veiled  with  yellow  and  in  first-year 
birds  the  markings  less  extensive. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  much  duller,  with  narrower  black  streaks  and 
less  chestnut  on  the  back,  sometimes  scarcely  a  trace. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  brownish-olive ;  below,  brownish  on  the 
breast  and  throat,  whitish  on  the  abdomen ;  wings  and  tail  similar  to  adult. 

A  r.vf  of  fine  fibers  and  downy  substances,  placed  in  a  low  bush  ;  eggs,  four 
to  five,  white,  with  a  circle  of  brown  spots  at  the  larger  end,  .64  x  .48. 

Common  summer  resident  in  the  pine  barrens;  rather  scarce 
migrant  elsewhere.  Arrives  May  1st,  departs  September  15th.  Mr. 
Chapman  never  saw  it  at  Englewood1  and  Mr.  Holmes  had  but  one 
record  at  Summit. 

The  Prairie  Warbler  is  another  of  the  birds  that  make  the  pine 
barrens  interesting  territory  for  the  ornithologist.  In  and  out  among 
the  scrubby  oak  and  pine  bushes  he  is  continually  alert  and  even  in 
the  boiling  sun  of  midday  the  air  is  filled  with  the  drowsy  mo- 
notonous "zee,  zee,  zee,  zee,  zee-zee,"  hardly  louder  than  the  shrilling 
of  a  cricket. 

The  nest  in  this  region  is  often  placed  in  a  holly  bush,  well  con- 
cealed by  the  prickly  leaves. 


674     Seiurus  aurocapillus  (Linnaeus). 
Ovenbird,  Golden-crowned  Thrush. 

PLATE  73. 

Adults. — Length,  5.50-6.50.  Wing,  2.80.  Above,  dull  olive-green,  two  black 
stripes  from  the  base  of  the  bill  to  the  hind  neck,  inclosing  a  patch  of  tawny 
buff;  below,  white,  streaked  heavily  with  black  across  the  breast  and  down  the 
sides,  with  a  black  line  from  the  bill  down  the  side  of  the  throat. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  cinnamon-brown,  streaked  with  blackish '  on 
the  back  and  two  faint  black  stripes  on  the  head ;  wings  and  tail,  olive,  wing- 
coverts  tipped  with  cinnamon ;  below,  pale  cinnamon  on  the  throat  and  breast, 
mottled  with  dusky  spots ;  rest  of  under  surface,  white. 

Nest  on  the  ground,  arched  over  above,  built  of  leaves,  grass  and  slender 
rootlets ;  eggs,  four  to  five,  white,  speckled  with  reddish-brown,  .80  x  .60. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  26th  (April  30th), 
departs  October  9th. 

1  Auk,  1889,  p.  198. 


284:   EEPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

t  The  Ovenbird  is  one  of  the  most  characteristic  birds  of  our  wood- 
lands, and  in  spring  and  early  summer  they  fairly  ring  with  its  music. 

The  usual  song  is  the  familiar  "cher,  tea-cher,  tea-cher,  tea-cher, 
tea-cher,"  beginning  rather  low  and  becoming  louder  with  repetition. 

The  bird  has,  however,  a  much  more  elaborate  flight  song  at  the 
height  of  the  breeding  season. 

The  Ovenbird  is  distinctly  a  ground  warbler  and  walks  deliberately 
about  over  the  dead  leaves,  ftying  up  to  some  low  branch  when  dis- 
turbed or  when  about  to  sing. 

This  is  one  of  the  birds  that  habitually  tries  to  lure  you  from  its 
nest  by  feigning  lameness  or  a  broken  wing,  and  flutters  along  ahead 
of  the  intruder  as  if  scarcely  able  to  get  out  of  the  way.  Full 
activity,  however,  is  soon  regained  when  it  has  led  you  safely  away 
from  the  nest. 


675     Seiurus  noveboracensis  (Gmelin). 
Water-Thrush. 

PLATE  73. 

Adults. — Length,  5-6.  Wing,  2.90.  Above,  uniform  olive-brown,  a  yellowish- 
white  line  over  the  eye;  below,  yellowish-white,  thickly  spotted  or  streaked 
with  black  or  very  dark  olive,  except  on  the  middle  of  the  abdomen  and  under 
tail-coverts. 

Common  transient  visitant.  Spring,  April  25th  (May  3d)  to  May 
20th;  autumn,  August  3d  to  October  1st. 

This  bird  is,  essentially,  a  dark  brown  Ovenbird  in  build  and  gen- 
eral habits,  but  it  is  more  active  and  always  a  bird  of  the  water 
courses;  walking  along  the  hard  sand  and  over  some  fallen  log,  or 
hopping  from  stone  to  stone  with  tail  always  bobbing  up  and  down 
like  a  Sandpiper. 

The  song  of  the  Water  Thrush  is  one  of  the  treats  of  spring  time, 
and  it  is  hard  to  realize  that  such  a  powerful  song  comes  from  so 
small  a  bird.  Professor  Jones  has  well  represented  it,  "sweet,  sweet, 
sweet,  chu,  chu,  chu,  chu,  wee,  chu." 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  285 

675a     Seiurus  noveboracensis  notabilis  (Grinnell). 
GrinnelPs  Water-Thrush. 

Differs  from  the  last  in  larger  size  and  darker,  sootier  color  above.  Length, 
5.50-6.50.  Wing,  3.15. 

One  specimen  was  taken  at  Raritan,  May  30th,  1889,1  and  another 
by  Mr.  W.  E.  D.  Scott,  at  Princeton,  September  10th,  1879.2 

676     Seiurus  motacilla   (Vieillot). 
Louisiana  Water-Thrush. 

Adults. — Length,  5.75-6.25.  Wing,  3.15.  Above,  olive-brown,  darker  on  the 
head  and  grayer  on  the  back ;  a  white  line  over  the  eye ;  below,  white,  streaked 
on  the  breast  and  sides  with  brownish-black.  In  autumn  the  sides  are  washed 
with  buff. 

Differs  from  the  preceding  species  in  the  absence  of  spots  on  the  throat  and 
in  the  white  color  of  the  under  parts  as  contrasted  with  the  pale  lemon  tint  of 
8.  noveboracensis. 

l^oung  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  throat  as  well  as  breast  and  sides 
streaked,  and  under  tail-coverts  and  sides  cinnamon. 

Nest  under  an  overhanging  bank  of  leaves  and  rootlets;  eggs,  four  to  six, 
white,  speckled  with  reddish-brown,  .76  x  .62. 

Common  summer  resident  in  the  lower  Hudson  Valley  and  along 
the  upper  Delaware;  very  rare  migrant  in  south  Jersey.  Arrives 
April  15th,  departs  September  1st. 

While  common  along  the  Delaware  from  Black's  Eddy  to  Port  Jer- 
vis,  on  the  lakes  of  Sussex  and  Passaic  counties  (Rhoads)  and  on 
the  lower  Hudson,  this  Water-Thrush  seems  to  be  rare  elsewhere  in  the 
State.  Mr.  Miller  has  found  it,  in  summer,  occasionally  in  notches  of 
the  trap  ridge,  north  of  Plainfield,  and  Mr.  Babson  secured  a  fledge- 
ling, near  Princeton,  June  12th,  1900.  Dr.  Dwight  found  it,  in  sum- 
mer, at  Lake  Hopatcong,  and  Mr.  P.  B.  Philipp  at  Newton,  Sussex 
county. 

In  southern  New  Jersey  it  seems  to  be  unrecorded. 

In  habit,  song  and  appearance  it  resembles  the  other  Water-Thrush, 
but  may  be  distinguished  by  the  white  instead  of  yellow  underparts 
and  the  lack  of  spots  on  the  throat. 

1  Southwick,  Auk,  1892,  p.  303. 

2  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  75. 


286    EEPOET  OF  XEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

677     Oporornis  formosa  (Wilson). 
Kentucky  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5-5.85.  Wing,  2.60.  Above,  plain  olive-green,  with  a 
black  mask  covering  the  sides  of  the  face  and  top  of  head,  the  feathers  of  the 
crown  tipped  with  gray ;  below,  bright  yellow,  with  a  stripe  of  the  same  color 
over  the  eye  and  covering  the  posterior  part  of  the  orbital  ring. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  black  mask  much  duller  and  not  so  extensive. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  light  sepia-brown ;  wings  and  tail,  yellow ; 
below,  pale  brown,  becoming  buffy-yellow  on  the  abdomen  and  under  tail- 
coverts. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  adult  female,  with  black  mask  only  partly 
developed  and  veiled  with  gray. 

Nest  of  leaves  and  small  twigs  and  rootlets  on  the  ground  ;  eggs,  four  to  five, 
white,  speckled  with  brown,  .70  x  .55. 

Summer  resident  in  the  lower  Hudson  Valley  and  rarely  in  the 
middle  Delaware  Valley;  almost  unknown  in  the  other  parts  of  the 
State.  Arrives  April  30th  (May  6th),  departs  September  1st. 

The  distribution  of  this  bird  is  peculiar;  a  common  breeder  in  the 
deep,  rich  woodlands  of  southeastern  Pennsylvania;  it  seems  to  be 
entirely  absent  from  the  greater  part  of  southern  New  Jersey,  even 
as  a  migrant.  Mr.  Ehoads  never  saw  it  at  Haddonfield,  nor  has  it 
been  found  at  Princeton  by  Mr.  Babson,  though  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott 
states  that  it  occurred  there  in  1864-7. 

On  the  Pensauken  Creek,  nine  miles  east  of  Camden,  Mr.  C.  J.  Hunt 
found  it  breeding  sparingly,  and  Mr.  R.  C.  Harlow  found  a  pair  ap- 
parently breeding  at  Manahawkin,  on  the  coast.  This  is  in  line  with 
the  distribution  of  many  plants  and  animals  which  occur  through 
northern  New  Jersey  and  sporadically  on  either  side  of  the  pine 
barrens,  southward. 

In  the  northern  part  of  the  State,  however,  the  Kentucky  Warbler 
does  not  seem  to  be  generally  distributed.  Mr.  Chapman  reports  it 
common  at  Englewood,  in  the  Hudson  Valley,  and  Mr.  Holmes  states 
that  it  occurs  at  Summit,  but  it  is  never  found  at  Plainfield  where 
Mr.  Miller  has  searched  for  it. 

The  Kentucky  Warbler  is  found  on  the  ground  or  in  the  low 
bushes,  now  and  then  flying  up  on  the  branches  of  a  tree  to  sing.  Its 
loud,  clear  whistle  fairly  rings  through  the  quiet  wood;  the  syllables, 
"too-dle,  too-dle,  too-dle,  too-dle,"  fairly  represent  its  measures,  while 
in  quality  it  recalls  the  notes  of  the  Carolina  Wren  or  Cardinal,  or  at 
a  distance  reminds  one  of  the  song  of  the  Ovenbird,  given  all  in  the 
same  pitch. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  287 

678     Oporornis   agilis    (Wilson). 
Connecticut  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5.20-15.  Wing,  2.75.  Above,  plain  olive-green;  fore- 
head, sides  of  head,  throat  and  breast,  slate-gray  ;  rest  of  lower  parts,  pale 
yellow  ;  a  white  ring  around  the  eye.  In  autumn  the  top  of  the  head  is  washed 
with  brown. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  gray  areas  tinged  with  brown. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  the  adult  female,  but  throat  and  breast 
distinctly  brown  ;  eye  ring,  buff. 

Common  transient  visitant  in  autumn;   very  rare  in  spring. 

Spring,  May  20th;    autumn,  September  1st  to  October  2d. 

In  autumn  we  find  these  birds  in  old  fields  along  the  edges  of 
woods  and  thickets,  especially  in  thick  growths  of  rag  weed;  when  ap- 
proached they  fly  up  into  trees  and  bushes  and  remain  until  the  in- 
truder has  passed  by  when  they  return  to  their  feast.  They  are  ex- 
traordinarily fat  at  this  season. 

In  spring  the  Connecticut  Warbler  is  almost  unknown  east  of  the 
Alleghanies ;  one  of  the  very  few  specimens  taken  at  this  season, 
however,  was  obtained  in  New  Jersey,  by  Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads,  at  Had- 
donfield,  May  20th,  1882  (Collection  W.  Stone).1 

679     Oporornis  Philadelphia   (Wilson). 
Mourning  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5-5.75.  Wing,  2.40.  Head,  neck  and  breast,  slate- 
gray  ;  center  of  breast  and  bases  of  throat  feathers,  black ;  rest  of  upper  sur- 
face, olive-green ;  lower  surface,  bright  yellow,  olive  on  the  sides. 

Adult  female. — Lacks  the  black  on  the  breast  and  throat,  while  the  gray  is 
paler  below  and  more  olive  above. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  adult  female,  but  duller. 

Very  rare  transient  visitant.  Spring,  May  15th  to  30th;  autumn, 
September  22d. 

Mr.  Chapman  had  taken  but  one,  at  Englewood,  up  to  1889,2  but 
saw  another  May  22d,  1898.3  At  Morristown  Messrs.  Thurber  and 

1  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  I.,  p.  6. 

2  Auk,  1889,  p.  198. 

3  Abst.  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y..  XL,  p.  4. 


288   REPORT  OF  XEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Green  record  two  taken  September  24th,  1885,1  and  Mr.  Holmes,  one 
seen  at  Summit,  May  29th,  1904. 

Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott  saw  one,  May  20th,  1906,  at  Trenton.  Mr.  Scott 
took  one,  September  22d,  1880,  at  Princeton,2  and  Mr.  G.  S.  Morris 
obtained  one  on  the  Pensauken  Creek  near  its  mouth,  May  30th, 
1897.3 

681     Geothlypis  trichas  (Linnaeus). 
Maryland  Yellow-throat. 

PLATE    74. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.50-5.50.  Wing,  2.  Above,  grayish  olive-green,  brown- 
ish on  the  back  of  the  head ;  below,  bright  yellow  from  the  chin  to  the  middle 
of  the  breast ;  rest  of  under  parts,  pale  buff  to  dull  white ;  under  tail-coverts, 
yellow ;  a  jet  black  mask  covering  the  sides  of  the  face  and  forehead,  bordered 
behind  with  grayish.  In  autumn,  browner  above  and  on  the  flanks,  the  black 
mask  veiled  with  grayish  edgings. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  lacks  at  all  seasons  the  black  mask. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Olive-brown  above,  olive-green  on  tail ;  tawny  wood 
brown  on  the  throat,  chest  and  flanks ;  pale  yellowish  on  the  abdomen. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Male  similar  to  autumnal  adult,  but  with  only  a 
trace  of  the  black  mask  on  the  sides  of  the  face  below  the  eye ;  female  similar 
to  adult,  but  buff  instead  of  yellow  below. 

Nest  on  the  ground  or  in  a  tussock  in  low  ground,  quite  large  and  made  of 
leaves,  bark,  grass,  etc. ;  eggs,  three  to  five,  white,  speckled  with  brown  and 
rusty  brown,  .70  x  .50. 

Abundant  summer  resident;  arrives  April  21st  (April  28th),  de- 
parts October  12th. 

The  Maryland  Yellow-throat  is  universally  distributed  from  one 
end  of  the  State  to  the  other,  as  much  at  home  in  the  pine  barrens 
as  in  the  mountains,  and  from  every  swamp  and  low  thicket  comes 
his  familiar  song,  "wichity,  wichity,  wichity,  wichity." 

The  bird  is  Wren-like  in  its  actions  and  in  its  inquisitiveness, 
bobbing  in  and  out  among  the  bushes,  intent  upon  investigating  any 
intruder  who  approaches  its  domain. 

A  single  Yellow- throat  was  seen  by  Mr.  Rhoads,  at  Haddonfield,  on 
February  5th,  1890,4  but  its  occurrence  in  winter  is  purely  accidental. 

1  O.  and  O.,  1886,  p.  92. 

2Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  76. 


3  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  III.,  p.  4. 

4  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  140. 


THE  B1UDS  OF  NEW  JEKSEY.  289 

683     Icteria  virens   (Linnasus). 

Yellow-breasted  Chat. 

PLATE  74. 

Adults. — Length,  6.75-7.50.  Wing,  3.  Above,  uniform  grayish  olive-green  ; 
below,  from  the  chin  to  the  upper  part  of  the  abdomen,  brilliant  yellow  ;  rest 
of  under  surface,  white ;  a  white  line  over  the  eye  and  another  from  the  base 
of  the  bill,  with  a  black  spot  between  them  in  front  of  the  eye. 

Youny  in  first  summer. — Above,  olive-brown;  wings  and  tail  tinged  with 
green  ;  below,  ashy-gray. 

Rest  of  leaves,  strips  of  bark  and  grass  in  a  bush  about  three  feet  from  the 
ground ;  eggs,  three  to  five,  white,  spotted  with  reddish-brown,  .90  x  .70. 

Common  summer  resident  throughout  the  southern,  middle  and 
northeastern  parts  of  the  State,  excepting  the  pine  barrens.  Arrives 
April  29th  (May  5th),  departs  September  15th. 

The  Chat  is  a  bird  of  low  thickets  or  clearings  and  is  far  more 
frequently  heard  than  seen.  At  any  time  of  day  we  may  hear  his 
queer  jumble  of  notes  pouring  out  of  some  brier  thicket,  a  deliberate 
"kuk,  kuk,  kv.k,  kuk,  kuk,"  in  a  high  key  and  then  on  a  much  lower 
note  and  still  more  deliberate  "caw,  caw,  caw,"  then  several  whistles 
and  a  high-pitched,  rapid  "kek,  kek,  kek,  kek,"  a  pause,  and  we  ap- 
proach to  get  a  view  of  the  performer,  when  we  hear  from  another 
bunch  of  briers,  farther  on,  a  harsh  derisive  "tsheet,  tsheet,  tsheet, 
tsheet,"  in  a  guttural  tone,  if  such  a  thing  is  possible  in  a  bird.  So 
the  performance  goes,  apparently  without  any  regularity  or  system. 
The  action  of  the  Chat  is  quite  as  peculiar  as  his  song;  he  manages  to 
conceal  himself  effectually  and  frequently  to  fly  from  one  thicket 
to  another  without  being  seen,  but  on  other  occasions  he  mounts 
into  the  air  and  descends  slowly  with  legs  extended  and  wings  flap- 
ping, all  the  while  pouring  out  his  varied  notes  in  a  most  ludicrous 
flight  song.  One  would  hardly  take  the  Chat  for  a  Warbler,  though 
it  would  be  equally  difficult  to  classify  him  elsewhere,  and  we  are, 
therefore,  willing  to  accept  the  evidence  of  less  conspicuous  struc- 
tural characters  and  include  him  as  an  aberrant  member  of  this  large 
family. 

The  Chat  breeds  north  to  the  New  York  line  and  farther  along  the 
Hudr-on,  also  at  Summit  (Hann  and  Holmes),  Morristown  (Thur- 
IHT),  Lake  Hopatcong  (Dwight),  and  Walrkill  Valley,  Greenwood 
and  Beaver  Lakes,  Passaic  county  (Rhoade) ;  also  up  the  Delaware 
to  High  Knob  and  Port  Jervis  (Chapman). 

19 


290    REPORT  OF  ^TEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

684     Wilsonia  citrina   (Boddaert). 

Hooded  Warbler. 

r  '• 

PLATE    72. 

Adults. — Length,  5-5.70.  Wing,  2.60.  Forehead  and  sides  of  face,  bright 
yellow ;  rest  of  head,  throat  and  breast,  jet  black ;  remainder  of  upper  surface, 
olive-green ;  lower  surface,  bright  yellow,  paler  on  the  under  tail-coverts ;  two 
outer  pairs  of  tail  feathers  mainly  white  on  the  inner  web,  next  pair  with  a  ter- 
minal white  spot.  Female  usually  with  less  black  than  male,  with  no  black 
whatever  in  the  first  breeding  season. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Male  similar  to  adult,  but  black  everywhere  veiled 
with  yellow  tips  to  the  feathers  ;  female  with  no  black  at  all. 

Nest  of  fine  strips  of  bark,  leaves  and  grass,  situated  in  the  crotch  of  a  bush ; 
eggs,  four  to  five,  white,  with  reddish-brown  spots  around  the  larger  end, 
.70  x  .50. 

Common  summer  resident  in  the  pine  barren  swamps  in  the  lower 
Hudson  Valley,  and  about  Greenwood  and  Wawayanda  Lakes 
(Rhoads)  ;  a  rare  transient  elsewhere.  Arrives  April  30th,  departs 
September  15th. 

In  the  cedar  swamps  of  the  pine  barrens,  near  Dennisville  and 
Seaville,  Cape  May  county,  and  Mays  Landing,  Atlantic  county,  I 
have  found  this  Warbler  quite  plentiful,  and  Mr.  Harlow  has  found  it 
at  Clementon.  Its  clear  warble  is  easily  recognized  after  it  has  once 
been  heard,  and  has  been  represented  by  Mr.  Langille,  by  the  syllables 
"che-ree.  che-ree,  che-ree,  chi-di-ee." 

The  Hooded  Warbler  is  a  beautiful  bird,  and  in  the  cedar  swamps 
the  rich  black  and  yellow  of  his  plumage  stand  out  with  great  dis- 
tinctness. 

In  the  lower  Delaware  Valley  the  bird  is  very  rare,  and  Mr.  Babson 
reports  it  as  only  a  casual  migrant  at  Princeton,  and  Mr.  Miller  as 
rare  at  Plainfield. 

At  Englewood,  Bergen  county,  Mr.  Chapman1  states  that  it  is  an 
abundant -summer  resident,  and  according  to  Mr.  Bowdish  it  is  locally 
common  at  Demarest.  Mr.  Rhoads  also  found  it  at  Alpine.2 

1  Birds  Vicinity  of  N.  Y.,  p.  7.1. 

2  Cassinia,  1901,  p.  50. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  291 

685     Wilsonia  pusilla   (Wilson). 
Wilson's  Warbler. 

Adults. — Length,  5.  Wing,  2.25.  Above,  olive-green,  with  a  square,  glossy, 
black  crown  patch  ;  forehead,  sides  of  face  and  entire  under  surface,  yellow. 

You ni/  in  first  autumn. — Similar,  but  black  cap  veiled  with  olive  in  the  male 
and  usually  lacking  entirely  in  the  female. 

A  regular  but  not  common  transient  visitant.  Spring,  May  12th 
to  20th;  autumn,  August  20th  to  September  15th. 

One  of  the  later  Warblers  of  the  spring  flight.  Its  song  bears  some 
resemblance,  to  that  of  the  Yellow  Warbler. 

686     Wilsonia  canadensis   (Linnaeus). 
Canada  Warbler. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5-5.75.  Wing,  2.60.  Above,  including  sides  of  head, 
plain  gray ;  feathers  of  the  forehead  and  crown  more  or  less  centered  with 
black ;  below,  canary-yellow,  with  a  necklace  of  black  spots ;  a  yellow  line 
over  the  eye ;  spot  in  front  and  below  the  eye,  black ;  under  tail-coverts,  white. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  duller ;    the  spots  of  the  "necklace"  are  dull  gray. 

young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  adult  female. 

Nest  in  a  hollow  on  a  bank  among  leaves  and  moss  ;  eggs,  four  to  five,  white, 
with  fine  rufous  spots,  .65  x  .50. 

Common  transient  visitant.  Spring,  May  5th  (May  12th)  to  May 
30th:  autumn,  August  20th  to  October  1st.  Also  found  by  Mr.  S. 
N.  Rhoads  to  be  a  summer  resident  about  the  lakes  of  northern  Sussex 
and  Passaic  counties,  June  4th  to  8th,  1909. 

This  is  one  of  the  later  group  of  migrant  Warblers,  resembling 
somewhat  the  Magnolia  on  the  under  side  but  with  the  necklace  spots 
smaller  and  no  white  on  the  tail. 

The  song  is  represented  by  Professor  Jones  as  "tu  tu  tswee  tu  tu," 
the  long  middle  note  being  pitched  higher  than  the  others. 

687     Setophaga  ruticilla   (Linnaeus). 
Redstart. 

PLATE    75. 

Adult  male. — Length,  4.75-5.75.  Wing,  2.50.  Upper  surface,  as  well  as 
entire  head,  neck  and  chest,  glossy  black ;  a  broad  band  across  the  middle  of 
the  wing  involving  all  but  the  tertials,  bright  orange  or  salmon,  with  faint 


292    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

edgings  of  the  same  on  the  primaries ;  tail,  with  basal  half  of  all  but  the  two 
middle  pairs  of  feathers,  salmon ;  side  of  breast  and  under  wing-coverts,  bright 
salmon ;  center  of  breast  and  abdomen,  white,  with  a  few  black  streaks  where 
the  white  and  salmon  join ;  under  tail-coverts  mixed  with  blackish.  In  autumn 
the  black  feathers  of  the  breast  are  slightly  tipped  with  buffy-white,  especially 
posteriorly. 

Adult  female. — Head  and  back  of  neck,  mouse-gray ;  back,  olive  ;  wings  and 
tail,  dusky ;  throat  and  breast,  white,  like  the  abdomen  ;  salmon  markings  on 
wings,  tail  and  sides  replaced  by  pale  yellow,  those  on  the  wings  usually  re- 
stricted to  the  secondaries. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Browner  above  and  dull  brown  on  the  throat  and 
breast. 

Young  in  first  autumn. — Similar  to  adult  female. 

Young  in  first  breeding  season. — Similar  to  adult  female,  but  with  some  black 
feathers  scattered  irregularly  on  the  head  and  throat. 

Nest  of  fine  shreds  of  bark  and  other  vegetable  fibers  mixed  with  downy 
material,  in  the  upright  fork  of  a  small  tree ;  eggs,  four  to  five,  bluish-white, 
spotted  around  the  larger  end  with  dark  brown  and  rusty,  .65  x  .50. 

Common  transient  visitant  and  occasional  summer  resident  in 
southern  New  Jersey.  Common  summer  breeder  in  the  northern 
counties.  Arrives  April  25th  (May  3d),  departs  October  5th. 

The  Redstart  is  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  of  the  migrant  War- 
blers; the  brilliant  salmon  red  across  the  wings  and  tail  is  made  more 
conspicuous  by  the  nervous  activity  of  the  bird,  which  is  constantly 
spreading  its  tail  and  fluttering  out  in  the  air,  clear  of  the  branches, 
in  pursuit  of  some  choice  insect. 

Its  song  Professor  Jones  compares  with  that  of  the  Yellow  Warbler, 
with  the  difference  that  it  is  retarded  while  that  of  the  latter  is  ac- 
celerated toward  the  end.  "Chee  chee  che^  chee-pa." 

In  summer  the  Redstart  is  rather  rare  in  southern  New  Jersey,  but 
has  been  found  nesting  or  observed  in  the  nesting  season  in  swampy 
locations  in  Cape  May  and  Cumberland  counties  by  Messrs.  Reed  and 
Wilde,  at  Haddonfield  by  Mr.  Rhoads,  at  Manahawkin,  Clementon, 
Bennett  and  Dennisville  by  Mr.  Harlow,  and  by  Professor  A.  H.  Phil- 
lips, near  Princeton.  In  northern  New  Jersey  it  is  a  common 
summer  resident;  Lake  Hopatcong  (Rhoads),  Plainneld  (Miller), 
near  New  York  City  (Chapman),  High  Knob  (Chapman),  Paterson 
(J.  H.  Clark),  and  rare  at  Summit  (Holmes)  and  Morristown 
(Thurber). 


THK   BIRDS  OF   X  K\V  .1  HUSKY.  293 

Family   MOTACILLIDJE. 

E  WAGTAILS. 


697     Anthus  rubescens  (Tunstall). 
Titlark.     Pipit. 

Adults.  —  Length,  6-7.  Wing,  3.30.  Above,  grayish  olive-brown  ;  tips  of 
wing-coverts,  buff,  forming  two  bars;  innermost  wing  feathers  edged  with  the 
same  ;  tail,  blackish,  outermost  pair  of  feathers  largely  white,  the  next  pair 
white  tipped  ;  under  surface  of  body,  buff  to  pale  cinnamon,  usually  thickly 
spotted  with  brown  on  the  breast  and  sides  of  throat  and  body  ;  plumage  much 
paler  and  under  surface  much  faded  in  spring. 

Common  transient  visitant  along  the  seacoast,  but  more  irregular 
inland;  winter  visitant  in  the  most  southern  counties;  March-May, 
October-Xovember. 

Titlarks  are  delicate,  active  little  birds  always  found  in  flocks  while 
with  us;  sometimes  very  large  ones.  They  are  further  characterized 
as  birds  of  bare  open  tracts,  especially  of  sandy  or  burnt  fields.  They 
are,  moreover,  walkers,  not  hoppers,  and  are  continually  wagging  their 
tails.  On  burnt  ground  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  them  until  one  is 
nearly  upon  them,  when  they  suddenly  take  flight,  displaying  for  a 
moment  their  white  outer  tail  feathers,  and  with  a  faint  "dee-dee"  are 
whirling  up  and  up,  until  they  drift  away  like  wind-blown  leaves. 

1  have  found  them  in  very  large  flocks  at  Cape  May,  January  2d, 
1892. 

Family   MIMIDJE. 
THE  MOCKERS. 

Thp  birds  of  this  family  are  allied  to  both  the  Wrens  and  the 
Thrushes.  They  comprise  three  of  our  best-known  species  famous 
both  for  their  song  and  their  value  as  insect  destroyers. 

a.  Slaty-gray  above  and  below.  CATBIRD,  p.  295 

aa.  Gray  above,  white  below.  MOCKINGBIRD,  p.  294 

uaa.  Rusty  brown  above,  streaked  below.  BROWN  THRASHER,  p.  296 


294   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

703     Mimus  polyglottos   (Linnaeus). 
Mockingbird. 

Adults. — Length,  9-11.  Wing,  4.60.  Upper  parts,  ashy-gray,  wings  and  tail 
more  brownish ;  basal  portion  of  primaries,  white ;  three  outer  tail  feathers 
largely  white;  under  parts,  white,  tinged  with  gray. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  speckled  below  with  dusky. 

Nest  of  twigs,  grass,  rootlets,  etc.,  in  a  bush ;  eggs,  four  to  six,  pale  bluish, 
spotted  and  blotched  with  reddish-brown,  .95  x  .72. 

Very  rare  summer  resident. 

The  Mockingbird  at  the  beginning  of  the  last  century  seems  to  have 
been  of  regular  occurrence  in  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia,  and,  ac- 
cording to  Dr.  B.  S.  Barton,  was  a  resident  bird,  though  Wilson  says 
they  arrived  about  April  20th  from  the  south.  A  significant  state- 
ment which  is  also  made  by  the  latter  (writing  about  1810)  is  that 
"the  eagerness  with  which  the  nest  of  the  Mockingbird  is  sought  after 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Philadelphia  has  rendered  this  bird  extremely 
scarce  for  an  area  of  several  miles  around  the  city.  The  continued 
popularity  of  the  species  as  a  cage  bird  down  to  the  present  time  has 
almost  effected  its  extermination  north  of  southern  Delaware."  Turn- 
bull  in  1869  says,  "It  is  now  rare." 

Its  decrease  in  New  Jersey  was  doubtless  coincident  with  its  reduc- 
tion in  Pennsylvania.  Jacob  Green1  mentions  it  as  apparently  a 
familiar  bird  at  Princeton  in  1817,  and  in  1868  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott 
says :  "Have  seen  but  few  specimens  during  the  past  seven  years,  and 
found  but  one  nest."  Mr.  G.  N".  Lawrence  states  that  they  bred  on 
Barnegat  Beach  in  1866.2 

Mr.  F.  M.  Chapman,3  on  authority  of  Mr.  Martin,  reports  a  nest  at 
Tenafly,  three  miles  north  of  Englewood,  about  1876.  The  female 
was  killed,  however,  and  nothing  more  was  seen  of  the  species  until 
1884,  when  a  pair  nested  in  the  same  garden;  the  young  were  taken 
and  reared  in  confinement,  and  although  the  male  bird  returned  in 
the  spring  of  1885,  nothing  was  seen  of  them  after  that  date. 

Rev.  Samuel  Lockwood4  states  that  Mockingbirds  were  plentiful 
about  Keyport  in  1832,  but  had  entirely  disappeared  by  1880,  though 

1  Doughty's  Cab.  Nat.  Hist.,  II.,  pp.  7-10. 

2  Ann.  Lye.,  N.  Y.,  VIII.,  p.,  279. 

3  Auk,  1889,  p.  304. 
*Amer.  Nat.,  1892,  p.  635. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  295 

one  pair  were  present  in  1882.  A  colony  still  existed  on  Sandy  Hook 
at  least  to  1892,  though  it  suffered  severely  in  the  blizzard  of  1888. 

Mr.  Henry  Hales  states  that  a  pair  bred  near  Ridge  wood  in  1884, 
and  one  bird  was  seen  in  November,  1902.1 

On  August  27th,  1891,  I  secured  a  single  bird  at  Cape  May  Point, 
and  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily  got  a  young  one  in  Juvenal  plumage  in  1895  at 
Holly  Beach.  In  August,  1897,  Mr.  Baily  saw  an  adult  at  Cape  May, 
one  at  Ocean  View,  March  30th,  1901,  and  another  at  Wildwood,  De- 
cember 27th,  1903.  Mr.  D.  N.  McCadden  saw  two  at  Stone  Harbor, 
September  4th,  1903,  and  Miss  C.  Murphy  reported  one  at  Point 
Pleasant  throughout  the  winter  of  1902-3. 

At  Beach  Haven  Mr.  I.  N.  DeHaven  saw  one  during  the  summer  of 
1906,  and  Mr.  John  Lewis  Childs  records  a  pair  at  Barnegat  all  sum- 
mer in  1900.2 

Professor  A.  H.  Philipps  secured  a  young  one  near  Princeton  some 
years  ago.3 

704     Dumetella  carolinensis   (Linnaeus).  ,    , 

Catbird. 

PLATE    76. 

Adults. — Length,  8-9.25.  Wing,  3.60.  Above  and  below,  slate-gray,  paler 
beneath  ;  entire  top  of  head  as  well  as  tail,  black  ;  under  tail-coverts,  chestnut. 
Female  sometimes  with  the  black  a  little  duller. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Dull  gray,  indistinctly  mottled  with  brown  edgings 
below,  and  lacking  the  black  cap ;  under  tail-coverts,  brownish. 

Nest  of  leaves,  twigs  and  grass  and  occasionally  pieces  of  paper,  in  thickets; 
eggs,  three  to  five,  deep  greenish-blue,  .95  x  .70. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  21st  (April  29th),  de- 
parts October  18th. 

Equally  at  home  in  the  swampy  thickets  or  in  the  shrubbery  of  the 
garden,  the  Catbird  is  familiar  to  all.  The  gray  dress  and  the  irri- 
tating, complaining  cry  serve  to  identify  him. 

His  song  is  a  medley  of  notes  similar  to  that  of  the  Thrasher,  but 
more  subdued,  and  usually  given  from  the  very  middle  of  some  dense 
clump  of  bushes. 

1  Bird  Lore,  1904,  p.  134. 

-  Auk,  1900,  p.  390. 

:  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  77. 


296    REPORT  OF  XEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

The  Catbird  is  a  trustful  bird,  nesting  about  our  houses  just  as 
long  as  we  leave  him  some  dense  shrubbery  and  some  fallen  leaves 
among  which  to  scratch  for  food.  Half  of  the  Catbird's  food  con- 
sists of  insects — ants,  grasshoppers  and  caterpillars  for  the  most  part. 
Of  his  vegetable  diet  part  is  garden  fruit,  but  the  bulk  consists  of 
wild  berries.  Where  the  Catbird  proves  destructive,  a  simple  ex- 
pedient is  the  planting  of  wild  cherry  trees  or  other  wild  fruit,  which 
is  always  preferred  to  cultivated  kinds. 

In  the  southern  counties,  especially  along  the  coast,  and  casually  fur- 
ther north,  the  Catbird  occurs  as  a  straggler  in  winter.  Dr.  C.  C. 
Abbott  has  found  them  at  Trenton,  Mr.  Rhoads1  secured  one  at  At- 
lantic City,  December  26th,  1892,  Mr.  D.  N".  McCadden1  another  at 
Avalon,  February  llth,  1894,  and  Dr.  W.  E.  Hughes2  one  at  Stone 
Harbor,  December  31st,  1905,  while  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily3  saw  several  at 
Holly  Beach  in  the  winter  of  1897-8,  Mr.  W.  D.  W.  Miller4  saw  one 
at  Plainfield,  December  30th,  1897,  and  W.  B.  Evans  saw  one  at 
Moorestown,  December  25th,  1903.5 


705     Toxostoma  rufum   (Linnaeus). 
Brown  Thrasher. 

PLATE  77. 

Adults. — Length,  11-12.  Wing,  4.30.  Above,  bright  cinnamon  rufous  ;  below, 
white,  faintly  tinged  with  buff  on  the  sides  and  strongly  streaked  with  black 
across  the  lower  neck  and  breast  and  down  the  sides  of  the  body,  some  of  the 
streaks  passing  to  cinnamon  on  the  sides  of  the  breast ;  under  tail-coverts,  buff ; 
wing-coverts  dusky  towards  the  end  and  tipped  with  buffy-white,  forming  two 
wing  bars.  In  autumn  the  buff  wash  below  is  stronger. 

Young  in  first  summer — Similar,  but  streaked  above  with  dull  brown. 

Nest  a  bulky  structure  of  twigs  lined  with  rootlets  in  low  bushes  or  on  the 
ground  :  eggs,  three  to  five,  grayish-white,  minutely  speckled  all  over  with  cin- 
namon-brown, 1.05  x  .80. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  1st  (April  24th),  de- 
parts October  22d.  Casual  in  winter. 

The  Thrasher  is  a  conspicuous  bird  in  thickets  and  along  fence  rows 


1  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J. 

2  Cassinia,  1906,  p.  58. 

8  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  III.,  p.  3. 

4  Osprey,  II.,  p.  91. 

5  Bird  Lore,  February,  1904. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  297 

and  edges  of  woodlands.  We  see  him  more  frequently  running  along 
ahead  or  skulking  through  the  bushes,  easily  recognized  by  his  long 
tail  and  bright  rufous  coloration.  Again,  he  is  a  familiar  sight  at 
riirly  morning  or  evening,  on  the  top  of  some  tree  with  tail  drooping 
and  head  thrown  back,  pouring  out  a  song  of  which  any  bird  might 
well  be  proud  and  which  alone  would  confirm  his  relation  to  the  Mock- 
ingbird. A  grand  medley  of  notes  and  whistles,  each  one  exactly 
duplicated  or  sung  in  pairs. 

The  Thrasher,  from  his  rusty  color  and  spotted  breast,  is  frequently 
confused  with  the  Thrushes  and  not  infrequently  called  Brown 
Thrush.  His  relationship,  while  partly  with  the  Thrushes,  is  also 
quite  as  much  with  the  Wrens,  so  that  he  is  to  some  extent  a  con- 
necting link. 

In  a  few  .instances  Thrashers  have  been  seen  in  winter.  One  was 
seen  at  Englewood,  January  31st,  1885,  by  Mr.  Chapman1  and  an- 
other upon  another  occasion,2  while  Mr.  W.  L.  Baily  saw  several  at 
Holly  Beach  in  the  winter  of  1897-8,3  one  February  22d,  1S94,4  and 
two  December  27th,  1903.5 


Family   TROGLODYTID^E. 

THE  WRENS. 

These  little  birds  are  among  our  most  famous  insect  destroyers  and 
deserve  the  most  careful  protection.  They  are  also  songsters  of  the 
highest  ability. 

a.  Longitudinal  white  streaks  on  the  back. 

6.  Bill,  .40.  SHORT-BILLED  MARSH  WREN,  p.  300 

66.  Bill.  .50-60.  LONG-BILLED  MARSH  WREN,  p.  301 

aa.  No  longitudinal  white  streaks  on  the  back. 

6.  A  conspicuous  stripe  over  the  eye  and  along  the  side  of  the  crown. 

c.  Wing,  2.05-2.20,  dark  brown  above.  BEWICK'S  WREX.  p.  298 

cc.  Wing,  2.20-2.60,  bright  rusty  above.  CAROLINA  WREN.  p.  298 

66.  No  stripe  over  the  eye. 

c.  Tail  less  than  1.50.  WINTER  WREN,  p.  300 

oc.  Tail  over  1.75.  HOUSE  WREN,  p.  299 

'Auk,  1889,  p.  305. 

2  Foster,  Abst.  Linn.  Soc.,  N.  Y.,  V.,  p.  3. 
8  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  III.,  p.  3. 
*Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  II.,  p.  12. 
8  Bird  Lore,  February,  1904. 


298   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

718     Thryothorus  ludovicianus   (Latham). 
Carolina  Wren. 

PLATE  78. 

Adults. — Length,  5.25-6.  Wing,  2.35.  Above,  uniform  russet  or  rufous 
chestnut,  darker  on  the  head ;  wings  and  tail  barred  with  dusky  and  small 
white  terminal  spots  on  the  wing-coverts ;  large  concealed  white  spots  on  the 
base  of  the  upper  tail-coverts ;  under  surface,  white,  washed  with  cinnamon, 
especially  on  the  sides  and  flanks ;  under  tail-coverts  with  narrow  brown  bars ; 
a  conspicuous  white  line  over  the  eye  narrowly  bordered  with  black ;  plumage 
duller  in  summer. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  somewhat  mottled  with  dusky  beneath. 

Nest  large,  made  of  grass,  moss,  leaves,  feathers,  etc.,  placed  in  holes  in 
walls  and  buildings,  or  in  hollow  trees,  etc. ;  eggs,  four  to  six,  white,  spotted 
with  rusty  and  pale  purple  at  the  larger  end,  .74  x  .60 

Common  resident  in  southern  New  Jersey  and  the  lower  Hudson 
Valley ;  rare  elsewhere. 

The  Carolina  Wren  is  the  largest  of  our  Wrens,  a  bird  of  the  woods 
and  thickets,  always  in  song,  winter  as  well  as  summer.  The  song  is 
a  loud  clear  whistle  resembling  those  of  the  Tufted  Titmouse  and 
Cardinal,  birds  which  have  almost  the  same  distribution.  The  most 
common  variations  have  been  excellently  given  by  Mr.  Chapman  as 
"whee-udle,  whee-udle,  whee-udle"  and  "tea-kettle,  tea-kettle,  tea- 
kettle." The  bird  has  also  a  fluttering  note  like  the  "bleat"  of  a  tree- 
toad,  which  is  uttered  with  numerous  bobbings  of  the  body  as  he  hops 
about,  disturbed  by  some  intruder. 

The  Carolina  Wren  is  common  throughout  southern  New  Jersey, 
especially  in  the  western  part.  It  is  rare  at  Princeton  (Babson),  rare 
and  irregular  at  Plainfield  (Miller),  but  more  common  in  the  lower 
Hudson  Valley  (Chapman)  from  Fort  Lee  to  Piermont. 

719     Thryomanes  bewicki    (Audubon). 
Bewick's  Wren. 

Adults. — Length,  5.25.  Wing,  2.15.  A  miniature  Carolina  Wren  in  shape 
and  proportions,  but  duller  in  color,  being  exactly  the  same  shade  as  the  House 
Wren.  Distinguished  from  the  latter  by  the  white  line  over  the  eye  and  white 
tips  and  bars  to  the  three  outer  pairs  of  tail  feathers. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  299 

Rare  straggler  from  the  south. 

Mentioned  in  Beesley's  Cape  May  list  (1857),  and  given  by  Turn- 
bull  as  rare.  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott,  in  his  list  of  New  Jersey  birds  (1868), 
says:  "Rare;  more  abundant  some  seasons  than  others."  In  18761 
he  emphasizes  this  statement,  saying:  "I  have  not  failed  to  find  a 
considerable  number  of  them  for  several  years  past;  they  return  year 
after  year."  But  in  18842  he  says  a  few  pairs  occurred  some  years 
ago,  and  in  18953  refers  to  it  only  as  "a  western  species." 

The  only  other  record  that  I  know  of  is  one  bird  seen  at  Haddon- 
field  bv  Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads  in  1890. 


721     Troglodytes  aedon   (Vieillot). 
House  Wren. 

PLATE  78. 

Adults. — Length,  4.  Wing,  2.  Above,  brown,  becoming  rufescent  on  the 
rump ;  tail  and  wings  and  sometimes  the  back,  barred  with  black ;  below,  dull 
white,  washed  with  russet  on  the  flanks  and  slightly  buffy  on  the  breast ;  flanks 
and  under  tail-coverts  barred  with  black ;  a  pale  line  over  the  eye  and  large, 
round,  white  concealed  spots  on  the  base  of  the  upper  tail-coverts. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Similar,  but  darker  below  and  mottled  from  chin  to 
abdomen  with  dusky  edgings  to  the  feathers. 

Nest  in  bird  boxes,  old  Woodpeckers'  holes,  etc.,  made  of  twigs,  lined  with 
feathers,  grass,  etc. ;  eggs,  six  to  eight,  vinaceous,  minutely  speckled  with 
darker,  .65  x  .52. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  21st  (April  27th),  de- 
parts October  5th. 

The  House  Wren  is  one  of  our  familiar  home  birds,  but  one  which 
seems  to  have  become  less  common  of  late  years,  in  some  sections  at 
least. 

Its  cheerful  warble  used  to  be  heard  from  every  garden,  but  now, 
from  the  persecution  of  English  Sparrows  or  from  some  other  cause, 
it  is  only  a  migrant  in  certain  localities.  In  autumn  the  House  Wren 
takes  to  the  fence  rows  and  edges  of  woodland.  Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads 
saw  one  bird,  at  Haddonfield,  close  at  hand,  early  in  February,  1909, 
which  had  evidently  wintered  in  a  lumber  yard. 

1  Amer.  Nat.,  1S76,  p.  237. 

'  Naturalists'  Rambles  about  Home. 

3  Birds  about  Us.  • 


300    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

The  Wrens  are  wholly  beneficial,  ninety-eight  per  cent,  of  their  food 
consisting  of  insects;  grasshoppers,  bugs,  caterpillars  and  spiders 
being  the  most  important  articles  of  diet. 


722     Nannus  hiemalis    (Vieillot). 
Winter  Wren. 

PLATE  78. 

Adults. — Length,  3.50-4.  Wing,  1.85.  Above,  russet  brown,  brighter  on  the 
rump  and  tail ;  wings,  tail,  and  posterior  half  of  back  more  or  less  distinctly 
barred  with  black,  light  areas  on  the  outer  wing  feathers  paler ;  under  surface 
pale  cinnamon ;  flanks,  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts  barred  or  mottled  with 
black  and  dull  white ;  a  pale  line  over  the  eye ;  some  concealed  white  spots  on 
the  basal  parts  of  the  upper  tail-coverts. 

Tolerably  common  winter  resident.  Arrives  September  25th,  de- 
parts April  20th. 

This  little  short-tailed  edition  of  the  House, Wren  takes  its  place 
with  us  during  the  winter,  inhabiting  brush  piles,  and  bobbing  in  and 
out  under  the  banks  of  streams.  His  note  while  with  us  is  an  inquisi- 
tive little  "pip-pip"  as  he  bobs  up  and  down  on  his  short  legs,  with 
no  suspicion  of  the  wonderful  tinkling  melody  that  pours  from  his 
throat  in  his  northern  forest  home. 


724     Cistothorus  stellaris   (Lichteirstein). 
Short-billed  Marsh  Wren, 

Adults. — Length,  3.75-4.50.  Wing,  1.75.  Above,  head  and  back,  black; 
streaked  with  brownish  white ;  forehead  and  nape,  nearly  uniform  brown ; 
rump  and  upper  tail-coverts,  rusty,  the  latter  barred  with  black  and  dull  white  ; 
wings  and  tail,  blackish  brown,  barred  with  light  brown  and  dull  white  ;  lower 
surface,  dull  white ;  sides  of  body,  breast  and  under  tail-coverts,  cinnamon. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Duller  and  paler  below. 

Nest  a  globular  structure  of  woven  grass  on  or  near  the  ground ;  eggs,  six  to 
eight,  pure  white,  .64  x  .48. 

Summer  resident  in  the  northern  part  of  the  State;  common  lo- 
cally; rare  winter  visitant  or  transient  in  southern  New  Jersey. 

This  bird  is  known  to  me  only  as  a  rare  transient  or  winter  visitor 
in  the  swamps  of  southern  New  Jersey,  where  it  is  usually  flushed 


THK   r.lh'DS  OF  XU\Y  JERSEY.  301 

from  the  dead  grass  only  to  drop  back  again  into  the  welcome  shelter 
after  a  short  bobbing  flight. 

Specimens  have  been  taken  at 

Beach  Haven;    October  3d,  1882.     S.  N.  Rhoads. 

Haddonfield;   September  17th,  1890.     S.  1ST.  Rhoads  (Coll.  W.  S.). 

Cape  May;   January  28th,  1892.     W.  Stone  (Coll.  W.  S.). 

Cape  May;   January  29th,  1892.     S.  X.  Rhoads  (Coll.  W.  S.). 

May's  Landing;   October  25th,  1892.     S.  N.  Rhoads  (Coll.  W.  S.). 

Princeton;  September  25th,  1897.  W.  E.  D.  Scott  (Coll.  Prince- 
ton). 

Princeton;   October  9th,  1898.    W.  A.  Babson. 

In  the  Great  Swamp,  Morris  county,  Mr.  Larue  K.  Holmes  and  Mr. 
H.  H.  Hann  found  this  Wren  breeding  commonly;  Mr.  Harold  Her- 
rick  found  them  on  the  Passaic  meadows,  near  Chatham,1  and  Mr.  S. 
N".  Rhoads  found  them  nesting  abundantly  in  the  Wallkill  Valley, 
northern  Sussex  county,  June  llth,  1909.  Mr.  Dallas  Lore  Sharp 
found  a  pair  on  the  Delaware  Bay  meadows  in  late  June  (see  Holmes, 
Cassinia,  1901,  page  17,  where  an  excellent  account  of  the  species  in 
Xew  Jersey  is  given),  and  Mr.  W.  B.  Crispin  found  a  nest  near 
Salem,  June  5th,  1909. 


725     Telmatodytes  palustris  (Wilson). 
Long-billed  Marsh  Wren. 

A  dults.— Length.  4.25-5.50.  Wing,  1.95.  Above,  head  and  middle  back, 
blackish-brown,  the  latter  streaked  with  white  and  a  white  line  over  the  eye  : 
sides  of  back,  shoulders  and  rump,  lighter  brown,  becoming  rusty  ;  wings,  brown, 
the  innermost  feathers  edged  with  black  and  brown  spotted ;  central  tail 
feathers,  brown,  narrowly  barred  with  black,  others  blackish,  more  coarsely 
barred  with  brown  on  both  webs :  under  surface,  white,  tinged  with  cinnamon 
pn  sides  and  flanks.  Plumage  exceedingly  worn  and  faded  in  summer. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Duller,  with  the  white  streaks  above  almost  obsolete. 

Nest  globular,  woven  of  grass  and  cat-tail  leaves,  supported  on  cat-tails, 
calamus  or  small  bushes ;  eggs,  five  to  nine,  uniform  chocolate-brown  or  very 
finely  speckled,  .64  x  .45. 

Common  summer  resident  mainly  in  coast  and  tidewater  swamps. 
Arrives  May  10th,  departs  October  15th. 

In  the  breeding  season  the  cat-tail  swamps  are  fairly  full  of  the 
bubbling  songs  of  the  Marsh  Wrens,  which  always  seem  to  contain 

1  Forest  and  Stream,  XII.,  p.  KM. 


302    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

something  of  the  moist  quality  of  the  bird's  surroundings.  The  birds', 
with  tails  turned  up  over  their  backs,  sway  up  and  down  on  the  reed- 
stalks  or  bob  in  and  out  of  the  nests,  which  surround  one  on  every 
side.1 

They  occur  abundantly  at  Cape  May  and  other  coastal  swamps  all 
the  way  to  New  York,  and  also  up  the  Delaware  to  Trenton.  I  have 
found  them  breeding  above  tidewater  at  May's  Landing;  Professor 
Phillips  has  found  nests  at  Duck  Pond,  near  Princeton,2  and  Mr. 
Miller  reports  them  in  Great  Swamp,  near  Plainfield,  and  on  the 
Raritan ;  Mr.  P.  B.  Philipp  found  them  abundant  at  Newton,  Sussex 
county.  As  an  illustration  of  the  abundance  of  the  nests  of  this  bird 
in  marshes  where  colonies  are  established,  and  also  as  an  example  of 
the  extent  to  which  the  egg-collectmg  mania  may  be  carried,  we  may 
quote  Mr.  B.  B.  Haines,  who  states  that  he  has  known  a  collector,  near 
Elizabeth,  to  obtain  from  400  to  500  eggs  in  a  day.3 

At  Cape  May  Mr.  Rhoads  and  I  found  them  wintering  in  small 
numbers,  January  28th,  1892.4 


Family    CERTHIIDJE. 

THE  CREEPERS. 

726     Certhia  familiaris  americana    (Bonaparte). 
Brown  Creeper. 

PLATE  79. 

Adults. — Length,  5-5.75.  Wing,  2.50.  Above,  brown,  each  feather  with  a 
central  grayish-white  streak  ;  rump,  rusty  ;  tail,  grayish-brown  ;  wrings,  brown, 
spotted  on  both  webs  of  the  feathers  with  white  or  gray ;  below,  grayish-white. 

Nest  behind  loose  pieces  of  bark  hanging  to  tree  trunks,  made  of  chips,  moss, 
cobwebs,  etc. ;  eggs,  four  to  six,  white,  spotted  with  reddish-brown,  .58  x  .48. 

Tolerably  common  winter  resident,  more  abundant  in  migrations. 
Arrives  September  20th,  departs  April  15th.  Summer  resident  in  the 
mountains  of  Sussex  county. 


1  Cf.  C.  J.  Hunt,  Cassinia,  1904,  pp.  17-25,  for  account  of  habits  in  N.  J. 

2  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  79. 

3  O.  and  O.,  1883,  p.  0. 
*  Auk,  1892,  p.  204. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  303 

Tin-  Creeper  appears  to  be  more  like  a  mouse  than  a  bird,  as  he 
goes  slowly  up  the  tree  trunks  by  short  jumps,  clinging  close  to  the 
bark  and  examining  every  crack  for  insects  that  may  be  lurking  there. 
Upon  reaching  the  upper  part  of  the  tree,  he  dives  down  to  the  root 
of  the  next  one,  and  starting  often  only  a  few  inches  from  the  ground, 
again  begins  the  ascent. 

II is  only  note,  while  with  us,  consists  of  several  thin  wiry  "seeps." 
His  food  is  wholly  insectivorous.     Mr.  P.  B.  Philipp  has  taken 
nests  in  the  Tamarack  Swamp,  at  Newton,  Sussex  county,  in  May  and 
June,  1906,  1907  and  1908,  and  regards  the  species  as  a  rare  but  regu- 
lar breeder  in  that  locality. 


Family   SITTID.35. 

THE  NUTHATCHES. 

Small  birds  allied  to  the  Titmice,  but  peculiar  in  their  climbing 
habits,  usually  progressing  downwards  along  the  trunks  of  trees  in- 
stead of  upwards  like  the  Woodpeckers. 

o.  Top  of  head  black  or  gray. 

6.  Wing.  3.50  or  over.  WHITE-BREASTED  NUTHATCH,  p.  303 

66.  Wing  less  than  3.  RED-BREASTED  NUTHATCH,  p.  304 

aa.  Top  of  head  brownish.  BROWN-HEADED  NUTHATCH,  p.  305 


727     Sitta   carol inensis  Latham. 

White-breasted  Nuthatch. 
PLATE  79. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5.25-6.  Wing,  3.60.  Above,  bluish-gray.;  whole  top 
of  head  and  nape,  glossy  black ;  below,  including  sides  of  face  and  neck,  grayish- 
white  ;  thighs  and  part  of  under  tail-coverts,  chestnut ;  wing  feathers  blackish, 
edged  and  tipped  with  blue-gray  or  white,  innermost  ones  blue-gray  with  oval 
black  spots  and  white  tips ;  greater-coverts  with  white  tips  forming  a  bar ; 
middle  pair  of  tail  feathers,  blue-gray ;  others,  black,  varied  with  white,  form- 
ing a  diagonal  band  across  each  half  of  the  tail  when  spread. 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  black  of  head  veiled  with  blue-gray,  seldom  show- 
ing distinctly  except  on  the  nape. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Duller,  with  feathers  of  tne  upper  surface  edged 
with  dusky. 

Rest  in  a  hole  in  a  tree,  composed  of  leaves,  feathers,  etc. ;  eggs,  five  to  eight, 
white,  speckled  with  rusty  and  pale  purple,  .80  x  .60. 


304   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Common  resident,  most  abundant  in  winter. 

While  equally  a  bird  of  the  tree  trunks,  the  Nuthatch  takes  exactly 
the  opposite  view  of  life  from  the  Brown  Creeper ;  hanging  head  down, 
with  his  short  stubby  tail  pointed  up,  he  explores  the  tree  from  top  to 
bottom,  ending  where  the  Creeper  begins.  He  often  runs  around  the 
trunk  or  out  on  horizontal  limbs,  and  occasionally  upwards,  but  his 
preference  is  to  travel  upside  down. 

His  note,  uttered  now  and  then  at  intervals  in  his  search  for  food, 
is  a  peculiar  nasal,  "ank,  ank,  ank,"  sounding  much  farther  away  than 
it  really  is. 

In  winter  we  frequently  find  a  number  of  insectivorous  birds  hunt- 
ing together  in  a  mixed  band — Nuthatches,  Downy  Woodpeckers, 
Creepers,  Chickadees  and  Kinglets  making  up  the  company. 


728     Sitta  canadensis  Linnaeus. 
Red-breasted  Nuthatch. 

Adult  male.— Length,  4.25-4.75.  Wing,  2.75.  Above,  uniform  bluish-gray, 
including  wings  and  middle  pair  of  tail  feathers ;  others,  black,  with  diagonal 
subterminal  white  bars  on  the  two  outer  pairs ;  top  of  head,  nape  and  sides  of 
head  to  below  the  eye,  glossy  black ;  cheeks,  chin  and  a  line  over  the  eye,  pure 
white;  lower  surface  of  body,  rusty  chestnut  (much  paler  in  spring). 

Adult  female. — Similar,  but  with  head  mainly  dark  gray  above  and  lower 
parts  paler. 

Irregular  transient  visitant,  sometimes  abundant  in  autumn  and  re- 
maining, in  small  numbers,  throughout  the  winter ;  very  rare  in  other 
years,  always  scarce  in  spring.  Arrives  September  10th,  departs  May 
15th.  In  the  spring  of  1900,  after  being  abundant  all  winter,  two 
pairs  were  noticed  at  Princeton  beginning  to  make  excavations  in  old 
trees,  but  they  did  not  remain  to  breed.1 

Habits  similar  to  those  of  the  White-breasted  Nuthatch.  Distin- 
guished by  its  small  size,  the  black  band  through  the  eye  and  rusty 
under  parts. 

Note  higher  and  thinner,  not  so  emphatic. 


Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  79. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  305 

729     Sitta  pusilla  Latham. 
Brown-headed  Nuthatch. 

Adults.—  Length,  4^.40.  Wing,  2.60.  Upper  parts,  blue-gray,  except  the 
head  and  nape,  which  are  brown  ;  wings,  dusky  ;  tail,  dusky,  two  outer  feathers 
with  subterminal  white  spots,  central  pair  gray  ;  under  parts  of  body,  white, 
tinged  with  buff. 

Very  rare  straggler  from  the  south.  Beesley  gives  it  in  his  list  of 
Cape  May  birds  (1857),  and  Turnbull  states  that  it  is  a  rare  visitant 
to  the  southern  counties,  but  does  not  specify  whether  he  referred  to 
Pennsylvania  or  New  Jersey.  The  only  definite  occurrence  is  a  single 
bird  observed  by  Mr.  S.  N.  Rhoads,  at  Haddonfield,  in  winter,  about 
1876.  It  came  to  feed  on  suet  fastened  to  a  tree  near  the  window. 


Family 

THE  TITMICE. 

Small  arboreal  birds,  our  species  all  of  gray  plumage  ;  especially  con- 
spicuous in  winter  as  they  search  the  tree-tops  for  food,  frequently 
hanging,  head  down,  from  the  slender  twigs. 

a.  Head  crested  gray.  TUFTED  TITMOUSE,  p.  305 

aa.  Head  not  crested,  black.  , 

6.  Wing,  .20,  longer  than  tail.  CAROLINA  CHICKADEE,  p.  307 

56.  Wing  equal  to  or  shorter  than  the  tail.  BLACK-CAPPED  CHICKADEE,  p.  306 


731     Baeolophus  bicolor  (Linnaeus). 
Tufted  Titmouse. 

PLATE   80. 

Adults.  —  Length,  5.75-6.50.  Wing,  3.25.  Head,  crested;  color  above,  plain 
slate-gray,  including  wings  and  tail  ;  below,  grayish-white,  flanks  strongly 
washed  with  cinnamon  ;  forehead,  black  ;  eye  region,  whitish,  with  a  small 
black  spot  just  above  the  orbit. 

young  in  first  summer.  —  Browner  above,  with  the  crest  and  black  forehead 
much  less  developed. 

~Nest  in  a  hole  in  a  tree,  made  of  feathers,  leaves,  grass,  etc.  ;  eggs,  five  to 
eight,  white,  spotted  with  reddish-brown,  .74  x  .54. 

20 


306    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Common  resident  in  the  southern  half  of  the  State,  north  to  Orange 
(Riker)  and  Plainfield  (Miller) ;  north  of  this  it  occurs  only  as  a 
straggler. 

The  Tufted  Tit  has  much  the  same  habits  as  the  Chickadee ;  search- 
ing the  tree-tops  for  insects,  and  on  crisp  winter  mornings  we  can  hear 
his  loud,  clear  whistle  for  considerable  distances  through  the  woods, 
"tu-lee,  tu-lee,  tu-lee,  tu-lee,"  reminding  one  somewhat  of  certain 
notes  of  the  Carolina  Wren.  At  other  times  we  surprise  him,  low  down 
in  some  bushy  thicket,  and  he  then  indulges  in  a  rapid  "dee-dee-dee- 
dee,"  which  takes  the  place  of  the  Black-cap's  "chick-a-dee"  in  his 
repertoire. 

Mr.  Chapman  has  observed  the  Tufted  Tit  at  Englewood  in  April, 
but  it  does  not  nest  there.  It  was  heard  by  Dr.  Dwight  at  Lake  Ho- 
patcong,  and  Mr.  P.  B.  Philipp  found  one  pair  breeding  at  Newton, 
Sussex  county,  June,  1908.  At  Summit  (Holmes  and  Callender), 
Chatham  (H.  B.  Bailey)1  and  at  Morristown  (Thurber)  it  breeds 
regularly. 

735     Penthestes  atricapillus  (Linnaeus). 
Black-capped  Chickadee. 

PLATE  80. 

Adults. — Length,  4.75-5.75.  Wing,  2.60.  Above,  olive-gray,  tinged  with  buff 
on  the  rump ;  below,  white,  washed  with  buff  on  the  sides ;  entire  top  of  the 
head  'and  nape,  black ;  sides  of  the  face  and  neck,  pure  white ;  throat  and  fore 
neck,  black,  the  posterior  feathers  frosted  with  white,  most  marked  in  winter; 
wings  and  tail,  blackish,  edged  with  grayish-white;  nearly  pure  white  on  the 
innermost  wing  feathers  and  outermost  tail  feathers. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Duller  in  color. 

Nest  in  a  hole  in  a  tree,  made  of  feathers,  grass,  hair  and  bark  fiber ;  eggs, 
five  to  eight,  white,  spotted  with  reddish-brown  mainly  on  the  larger  end, 
.55  x  .45. 

Common  resident  in  the  northern  half  of  the  State,  probably  not 
breeding  south  of  the  Raritan  (Miller)  ;  rather  rare  winter  visitant 
in  southern  New  Jersey. 

The  Chickadee  is  one  of  our  most  familiar  and  fearless  birds,  full  of 
curiosity  and  activity,  going  through  the  trees  in  little  bands,  from 
branch  to  branch,  hanging  upside  down  to  explore  the  under  side  of  a 


Auk,  1886,  p.  410. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  307 

twig  and  occasionally  coming  down  to  the  tall  weed  stalks.  The  usual 
call  is  the  familiar  "chick-a-dee,  chick-a-dee-dee-dee,"  while  in  the 
nesting  and  breeding  season  there  is  the  clear  whistle  "tee  dee,"  the 
first  a  high  note,  the  second  much  lower. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Princeton  and  Haddonfield,  and  probably  else- 
where in  south  Jersey,  the  Chickadee  occurs  in  winter  along  with  the 
resident  Carolina  Chickadee. 


736     Penthestes  carolinensis   (Audubon). 
Carolina  Chickadee. 

Adults. — Length,    4.25-4.50.      Wing,    2.45.      Coloration    like    the    preceding 
species,  but  the  wing  and  tail  edgings  narrower  and  grayer,  never  pure  white. 
Nest  and  eggs  similar  to  those  of  the  Black-cap  ;    size,  .53  x  .43. 

Common  resident  throughout  southern  New  Jersey,  north  to 
Princeton,  but  more  plentiful  in  the  pine  barrens  than  elsewhere. 

This  is  the  Chickadee  of  the  southern  half  of  the  State  and  a  char- 
acteristic bird  of  the  pine  barrens.  In  habit,  as  in  coloration,  it  re- 
sembles the  Black-cap :  the  notes  are  similar  but  the  "chick-a-dee"  is 
said  to  be  higher  pitched,  while  the  whistle  is  lower. 


Family   SYLVIID^E. 

THE  KINGLETS  AND  GNATCATCHERS. 

A  small  group  of  little  birds  representing  the  Warblers  of  the  old 
world. 

a.  Plumage  olive  or  olive-gray  above. 

6.  A  black  stripe  on  each  side  of  the  crown. 

GOLDEN-CROWNED  KINGLET,  p.  308 

Ib.  No  black  stripes  on  the  crown.  RUBY-CROWNED  KINGLET,  p.  308 

aa.  Plumage  bluish-slate  above.  BLUE-GRAY  GNATCATCHER,  p.  309 


308   EEPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

748     Regulus  satrapa   ( Liechtenstein) . 

Golden-crowned  Kinglet. 

PLATE  81. 

Adult  male. — Length,  3.25-4.50.  Wing,  2.20.  Above,  grayish-olive,  brighter 
on  the  rump ;  wing  and  tail  feathers,  blackish,  edged  with  olive ;  wing-coverts 
tipped  with  white,  forming  two  bars  on  each  wing ;  below,  grayish-white, 
crown  with  two  broad  black  bands  bordered  on  the  inside  with  yellow  and  in- 
cluding a  brilliant  orange  central  patch  ;  a  grayish-white  band  across  the  fore- 
head and  back  over  the  eyes  immediately  below  the  black. 

Female. — Similar,  but  lacks  the  orange  center  to  the  crown  patch,  the  entire 
area  between  the  black  stripes  being  lemon-yellow. 

Eather  common  winter  resident.  Arrives  September  30th,  departs 
April  20th. 

This  diminutive  little  bird  is  a  familiar  winter  species,  especially 
among  evergreens,  where  he  finds  insects  enough  to  satisfy  his  need 
throughout  the  cold  months. 

749     Regulus  calendula   (Linnaeus). 
Euby-crowned  Kinglet. 

PLATE  81. 

Adult  male. — Length,  3.75-4.50.  Wing,  2.25.  Above,  grayish-olive,  brighter 
on  the  rump ;  wing  and  tail  feathers,  blackish,,  edged  with  olive ;  tips  of  the 
wing-coverts,  whitish,  forming  two  bars  across  each  wing ;  below,  grayish- 
white  ;  a  patch  of  bright  vermilion-red  on  the  crown  and  a  nearly  complete 
white  ring  around  the  eye. 

Female. — Similar,  but  lacks  the  red  crown  patch. 

Common  transient  visitant.  Spring,  April  2d  (April  12th)  to  May 
1st;  autumn,  September  loth  to  November  1st. 

Krider1  says  it  winters  in  the  New  Jersey  cedars,  and  C.  J.  Hunt 
records  one  at  Lakewood,  December  9th,  1901. 2 

The  two  Kinglets  occur  together  during  migrations,  but  this  one 
seems  the  most  abundant.  He  comes  earlier  in  the  fall  and  lingers 
longer  in  the  spring,  at  which  season  he  occasionally  favors  us  with  a 
splendid  bit  of  song,  a  fine,  clear,  varied  warble  that  is  hard  to  believe 
can  be  produced  by  so  small  a  bird. 


1  Field  Notes,  p.  26. 

2  Bird  Lore,  1902,  p.  28. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  309 

751     Polioptila  caerulea   (Linnaeus). 
Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher. 

Adult  male.— Length,  4.25-5.50.  Wing,  2.10.  Above,  bluish-gray,  brightest 
on  the  head ;  a  narrow  black  band  across  the  forehead  and  back  over  the  eyes ; 
wings,  dull  black,  edged  with  gray,  the  innermost  feathers  with  white ;  tail,  jet 
black,  the  outermost  pair  of  feathers  largely  white,  the  next  two  pairs  with 
white  tips,  diminishing  in  extent ;  below,  white,  with  a  slight  grayish-tint. 

Female  and  young  during  the  first  summer  and  autumn. — Similar,  but  with- 
out the  black  frontlet. 

Nest  not  unlike  a  large  Hummingbird's  nest,  made  of  grasses  and  vegetable 
fibers  and  covered  with  lichens ;  usually  placed  on  a  horizontal  limb  of  a  tree ; 
eggs,  bluish-white,  thickly  spotted  with  brown  and  rufous,  .58  x  .45. 

Rare  and  local  summer  resident  in  southern  New  Jersey.  Arrives 
April  10th  to  May  1st,  departs  September  3d. 

The  Gnatcatcher  is  a  very  rare  bird  in  this  State,  but  two  nests  have 
been  found,  so  far  as  I  am  aware;  one  at  Bridgeton,  by  W.  L.  Baily, 
the  other  at  Cape  May  Point,  by  S.  N.  Rhoads,  May  17th,  1903,3 
though  Beesley  (1857)  gives  it  as  a  breeder  in  Cape  May  county.1 

The  following  species  have  been  obtained : 

Princeton;   April  28th,  1875.    W.  E.  D.  Scott  (Princeton  Coll.).2 

Cape  May  county;  April  15th,  1879.  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott  (Acad.  Nat. 
Sciences,  Phila.). 

Woodbury;  May  1st,  1880.  Dr.  W.  L.  Abbott,  three  specimens 
(Acad.  Nat.  Sciences,  Phila.). 

Haddonfield;  April  10th,  1882.  S.  N.  Rhoads  (Collection  W. 
Stone).4 

Dennisville;  May,  1891.    C.  A.  Voelker.4 

Atlantic  City;  April  16th,  1893.  I.  N.  DeHaven,  four  specimens4 
(Coll.  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  and  I.  N.  D.). 

Cape  May  Point;  April  llth,  1903.    C.  J.  Pennock.3 

According  to  Mr.  Babson,  Mr.  Scott  has  taken  other  specimens  at 
Princeton,  but  no  nest  was  ever  found  there,  and  although  regarded  as 
regular  in  1878,  by  Scott,5  it  is  not  so  now.  Mr.  Chapman  mentions  a 


1  Geology  of  Cape  May. 

2  Babson,  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  81. 

3  Cassinia,  1903,  p.  75. 

4  Stone,  Birds  of  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  p.  148. 

5  The  Country,  1878,  p.  354. 


310   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

number  of  specimens  taken  near  New  York  City,  but  only  stragglers 
and  not  from  New  Jersey. 

The  Gnatcatcher  is  as  small  as  the  Kinglets,  with  some  of  their 
habits  and  some  of  those  of  the  Chickadee.  His  song  is  very  low 
pitched. 


Family   TURDID^I. 

THE  THRUSHES,  ROBINS  AND  BLUEBIRDS. 

The  members  of  this  family  are  generally  regarded  as  our  finest 
songsters,  their  notes  being  peculiarly  sweet  and  musical. 

Their  most  conspicuous  structural  characteristic  is  the  so-called 
"booted"  tarsus,  the  plates  on  the  front  of  the  tarsus  being  welded  to- 
gether into  one  long  piece. 

The  typical  Thrushes  are  very  similar  to  one  another,  being  brown 
above  and  white  beneath,  with  the  breast  more  or  less  speckled.  The 
familiar  Robin  and  Bluebird  differ  widely  in  color,  and  have  plain 
breasts,  but  their  young  show  the  characteristic  spotted  breast  of  the 
Thrush  family. 

a.  General  color  above  blue,  breast  rusty  red.  BLUEBIRD,  p.  315 

aa.  General  color  above  dusky,  head  and  tail  black,  breast  rusty  red. 

ROBIN,  p.  314 

aaa.  General  color  above  brown  or  olive-brown,  breast  white  or  buffy,  more  or 
less  speckled  or  streaked. 

6.  Head  and  back  brighter  brown  than  the  tail,  which  inclines  to  olive ; 

spots  below  large,  round  and  black.  WOOD  THRUSH,  p.  311 

66.  Upper    parts    uniform    reddish-brown,    markings    below    faint    and 

brownish,  confined  to  the  throat  and  upper  breast.         VEERY,  p.  311 

666.  Tail  more  rusty  brown  than  the  back.  HERMIT  THRUSH,  p.  313 

6666.  Upper  parts  uniform  olive-brown. 

c.  Throat,  upper  breast  and  sides  of  face  deep  buff. 

OLIVE-BACKED  THRUSH,  p.  313 
cc.  Throat,  breast  and  sides  of  face  grayish-white. 

GRAY-CHECKED  THRUSH,  p.  312 
BICKNELL'S  THRUSH,  p.  313 


THE  BIRDS  OF  XEW  JERSEY.  311 

755     Hylocichla  mustelina   (Gmelin). 
Wood  Thrush,  Wood  Robin. 

PLATE   82. 

Adults. — Length,  7.5O-8.25.  Wing,  4.10-4.50.  Tawny-brown  above,  brightest 
on  the  head,  duller  and  more  olive  on  the  tail ;  below,  white,  slightly  tinged 
with  buff  on  the  breast;  sides  of  neck,  entire  breast  and  sides  of  abdomen 
marked  with  large  blackish  spots. 

Young  in  first  summer  with  more  or  less  pale  streaks  and  spots  on  the  back 
and  wing-coverts. 

Nest  of  leaves,  fine  twigs,  plant  stems  and  mud,  placed  in  a  small  tree  eight 
to  ten  feet  up ;  eggs,  three  to  four,  greenish-blue,  1.05  x  .70. 

Common  summer  resident.  Arrives  April  24th  (April  30th),  de- 
parts October  1st. 

No  low,  rich  woodland  is  without  at  least  a  pair  of  Wood  Thrushes, 
and  as  soon  as  one  enters  the  cool  shade  he  hears  either  the  clear,  flute- 
like  modulated  song,  or  the  metallic  "put-put-put"  of  their  alarm  note. 

The  Wood  Thrush  is  the  largest  and  most  heavily  spotted  of  any  of 
our  Thrushes,  the  only  one  in  which  the  spots  run  down  below  the 
breast. 

His  food  is  seventy-five  per  cent,  insects  and  the  rest  wild  berries. 

The  Wood  Thrush  is  not  a  shy  bird ;  he  will  frequent  shady  village 
streets  as  well  as  the  more  remote  woodland,  but  he  must  have  shade 
and  prefers  nearness  to  water.  In  the  pine  barrens  he  is  restricted  to 
the  cedar  swamps. 

756     Hylocichla  fuscesens   (Stephens). 
Veery,  Wilson's  Thrush. 

Adults.— Length,  6.50-7.75.  Wing,  3.90.  Above,  uniform  tawny-brown; 
below,  white,  strongly  tinged  with  buff  across  the  breast,  and  a  slight  brown 
tint  on  the  sides  of  the  body ;  breast  and  sides  of  throat  with  numerous  small 
tawny-brown  spots. 

Young  in  first  summer  with  pale  spots  above. 

Nest  of  leaves,  fine  roots  and  strips  of  bark  on  the  ground  or  in  the  base  of 
a  bush ;  eggs,  three  to  five,  greenish-blue,  .90  x  .65. 

Common  summer  resident  in  the  northern  counties ;  transient  visit- 
ant in  the  southern  half  of  the  State.  Arrives  April  26th  (May  2d), 


312    EEPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

departs  September  20th.  Absent  from  the  southern  part  of  New  Jer- 
sey May  30th  to  August  20th. 

As  a  migrant  the  Veery  is  simply  one  of  the  several  smaller 
Thrushes  that  pass  silently  through  our  woods  twice  a  year,  differing 
from  each  other  only  in  shade  of  color. 

As  a  summer  resident,  however,  it  is  one  of  the  leaders  among  our 
famous  songsters;  The  song  is  hard  to  describe;  "weird"  and  "un- 
earthly" gives  some  notion  of  its  character,  while  the  syllables,  "twee- 
le-ah,  twee-le-ah,  twee-la,  twee-la, v  represent  the  notes,  but  the  quality 
is  peculiar  among  bird  music.  At  a  distance  it  has  something  of  the 
tinkling  of  bells,  or  it  has  been  likened  to  whistling  down  a  gun  barrel, 
or  to  a  series  of  chords  instead  of  single  notes. 

Occasionally,  in  south  Jersey,  I  have  heard  late  migrants  indulge 
in  a  low  song,1  but  usually  it  is  reserved  for  the  summer  home,  where 
the  Veery  is  constantly  heard  but  seldom  seen,  since  he  frequents 
thick  woods  and  has  a  faculty  for  concealing  himself. 

Mr.  Bab  son2  has  seen  Veeries  in  June  a  short  distance  north  of 
Princeton  and  thinks  they  nest  there;  about  Plainfield  they  breed 
regularly  (Miller),  also  at  Summit  (Callender  and  Holmes)  and  Lake 
Hopatcong  (Rhoads),  Sputh  Orange  (H.  B.  Bailey),3  Ridgewood 
(Fowler),  Paterson  (Clark),  Alpine  (Rhoads),  &c. 


757     Hylocichla  alicise    (Baird). 
Gray-cheeked  Thrush. 

Adults. — Length,  7-7.75.  Wing,  4-  .  Above,  olive-brown,  very  slightly 
browner  on  the  tail ;  below,  white,  tinged  with  buff  on  the  breast  and  brown 
on  the  sides  of  the  body ;  breast  and  sides  of  the  throat  spotted  with  blackish, 
spots  becoming  paler  towards  the  abdojnen ;  sides  of  face  and  cheeks,  grayish- 
brown.  Very  similar  to  the  Olive-backed  Thrush,  but  always  distinguished  by 
the  differently  colored  cheeks. 

Common  transient  visitant.  Spring,  May  3d  (May  12th)  to  May 
30th;  autumn,  September  20th  to  October  10th. 

Distinguished  from  the  Olive-backed  Thrush  by  the  gray  instead  of 
buff  cheeks.  Similar  in  habits. 

1  Cf.  Cassinia,  1905,  p.  93 ;    1901,  p.  49. 

2  Birds  of  Princeton,  p.  81. 

3  Auk,  1886,  p.  489. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  313 

757a     Hylocichla  aliciae  bicknelli  Ridgway. 
Bicknell's  Thrush. 

Adults.— Length,  6.25-7.25.  Wing,  3.65.  Coloration  exactly  like  the  Gray- 
cheeked  Thrush  or  a  trifle  browner  above ;  size  smaller. 

Rare  transient  visitant.  Spring,  May;  autumn,  September  10th 
to  October  5th  (Babson). 

A  small  edition  of  the  Gray-cheek.  Mr.  Babson  records  it  from 
Princeton,  but  we  have  no  record  from  southern  New  Jersey,  though 
it  doubtless  occurs. 

758a     Hylocichla  ustulata  swainsoni    (Cabanis). 
Olive-backed  Thrush. 

Adults. — Length,  6.50-7.50.  Wing,  4.  Above,  uniform  olive-brown ;  below, 
white,  strongly  tinged  with  buff  across  the  breast  and  with  paler  brown  on  the 
sides  of  the  body ;  breast  and  sides  of  throat  thickly  spotted  with  blackish, 
spots  becoming  paler  towards  the  abdomen ;  cheeks  and  sides  of  face  strongly 
tinged  with  buff  like  the  breast. 

Common  transient  visitant.  Spring,  April  30th  (May  7th)  to  May 
25th;  autumn,  September  15th  to  October  15th. 

A  silent  member  of  the  spring  migratory  host,  and  frequent  ii) 
autumn  about  the  poke  berry  bushes  and  dogwood. 

759b     Hylocichla  guttata  pallasi   (Cabanis). 
Hermit  Thrush. 

Adults.— Length,  6.50-7.50.  Wing,  3.50.  Above,  olive-brown;  tail,  bright 
tawny;  below,  white,  tinged  with  buff  on  the  breast  and  pale  brown  on  the 
sides  of  the  body ;  breast  with  numerous  large  blackish  spots,  becoming  paler 
towards  the  abdomen. 

Young  in  first  summer  with  light  spots  above. 

Common  transient  visitant  and  occasional  winter  resident,  espe- 
cially in  the  southern  counties.  Morristown,  January  30th,  1886 
(Thurber  and  Green),  Plamfield,  winter  of  1901-2  (Miller),  and 


314   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

every  year  in  the  pine  barrens  and  along  the  coast  islands  of  Cape 
May  county.  Spring,  April  1st  (April  13th)  to  May  4th;  autumn, 
October  10th  to  November  5th. 

The  Hermit  passes  through  earlier  in  the  spring  and  later  in  the 
fall  than  the  other  migrant  Thrushes,  and  is  particularly  welcome  in 
winter,  when  we  not  infrequently  find  one  or  two  about  some  woodland 
spring  or  in  some  dense  thicket. 

In  parts  of  Sussex  county  it  may  possibly  be  found  to  breed. 


761     Pianesticus   migratorius   (Linnaeus). 
Robin. 

PLATE  83. 

Adult  male. — Length,  9-10.  Wing,  4.90-5.40.  Above,  dark  slate-gray ;  head, 
sides  of  face,  tail  and  long  wing  feathers,  black ;  a  white  spot  over  and  under 
the  eye  and  on  tip  of  outer  pair  of  tail  feathers ;  next  pair  slightly  margined 
with  white  at  tip ;  below,  bright  cinnamon  rufous,  except  the  throat,  which  is 
white  streaked  with  black,  and  center  of  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts  which 
are  white,  the  latter  mixed  with  black.  In  late  fall  and  winter  the  upper  parts 
are  tinged  with  olive  and  the  feathers  of  the  under  surface  are  edged  with 
whitish. 

Adult  female  often  rather  duller  than  the  male. 

Young  in  first  summer  mottled  with  black  and  white  spots  above  and  with 
white  tips  to  many  of  the  wing  feathers ;  below,  nearly  white,  in  the  middle  of 
the  breast,  strongly  tinged  with  cinnamon  rufous  on  the  sides  and  thickly  spotted 
with  black. 

Nest  of  mud  and  grass  lined  with  fine  grass ;  placed  on  the  limb  of  a  tree,  or 
sometimes  on  old  buildings ;  eggs,  three  to  five,  greenish-blue,  1.15  x  .80. 

Abundant  summer  resident  and  occasional  resident;  regularly  so 
along  the  southern  coast.  Arrives  February  14th  (March  4th),  de- 
parts November  10th. 

The  Robin  is,  perhaps,  our  best  known  bird ;  the  frequenter  of  gar- 
dens, orchards  and  lawns,  one  cannot  help  knowing  him.  In  the 
southern  counties  he  winters  regularly,  especially  just  back  of  the 
seacoast,  where  large  flocks  may  always  be  found. 

After  the  nesting  season  the  Robins  frequent  regular  roosts  during 
the  night,  and  in  autumn  course  about  the  country  in  flocks,  descend- 
ing on  the  dogwood  and  other  berry-bearing  trees. 

The  Robin  gets  many  a  bad  name  on  account  of  his  raid  on  the 
cherry  trees,  but  his  case  is  not  so  bad  as  some  would  have  us  think. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  315 

The  Department  of  Agriculture  has  shown  that  nearly  half  of  his 
food  is  animal,  fully  one-third  being  noxious  insects  and  seven  per 
cent,  earth  worms.  Of  the  fruit  and  berries  eaten  only  one-tenth  is 
cultivated.  The  cherries,  ripening  before  any  wild  fruit  is  available, 
are  the  main  source  of  his  early  summer  food.  As  a  protection  the 
planting  of  Russian  mulberries  is  suggested,  as  they  ripen  at  the  same 
time  as  the  cherries  and  are  much  preferred  by  the  birds. 

The  shooting  of  the  Robins  is  ineffective,  as  it  is  impossible  to  ex- 
terminate them  or  for  the  gunner  to  stay  on  guard  all  the  time; 
furthermore,  it  destroys  a  bird  which  is  a  valuable  insect  destroyer  at 
all  other  seasons,  and  a  songster  we  could  ill  afford  to  lose. 


763     Ixoreus  naevius  (Gmelin). 
Varied  Thrush. 

Adults. — Length,  9-10.  Wing,  4.90-5.20.  Slate  above,  outer  tail  feathers 
with  white  spots  at  tip ;  wings,  dusky,  with  four  transverse  bands  of  rusty ; 
below,  rusty,  with  a  black  breast  band ;  ear-coverts,  black ;  line  over  the  eye, 
rusty. 

Very  rare  and  accidental  straggler  from  the  west. 

Dr.  Samuel  Cabot  procured  a  specimen  in  Boston,  March,  1848, 
that  had  been  shot  in  New  Jersey,1  while  another,  taken  at  Hoboken, 
December,  1851,  is  recorded  by  Mr.  G.  N".  Lawrence.2 


766     Sialia  sialis   (Linnaeus). 
Bluebird. 

PLATE   84. 

Adult  male. — Length,  5.75-7.  Wing,  4.  Above,  uniform  bright  blue;  sides 
of  the  face  rather  duller ;  throat,  breast  and  flanks,  cinnamon-chestnut ;  abdo- 
men and  under  tail-coverts,  white.  In  autumn  and  winter  the  feathers  of  the 
upper  surface  are  veiled  with  chestnut  and  those  of  the  lower  parts  with 
whitish. 

Adult  female. — Above,  bluish-gray,  becoming  bright  blue  on  the  rump,  tail 
and  outer  edges  of  wings ;  below,  pale  cinnamon  rufous  on  the  breast  and  sides 

1  Proc.  Bost.  Soc.  Nat.  Hist.,  May,  1848,  p.  17. 

2  Ann.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist.,  N.  Y.,  V.,  p.  221. 


316    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM, 

of  body ;  throat  paler  and  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts  white ;  winter 
plumage  browner  above. 

Young  in  first  summer. — Above,  brownish-gray,  back  streaked  with  white  ; 
tail  and  outer  edge  of  wings,  blue ;  below,  white,  feathers  of  the  breast,  throat 
and  sides  of  body  edged  with  brown,  producing  a  mottled  or  scaled  appearance. 

Nest  in  a  hollow  tree  or  box,  made  almost  wholly  of  grass ;  eggs,  four  to 
five,  bluish-white,  .80x.60. 

Common  summer  resident  and  occasional  resident.  Arrives  Feb- 
ruary 17th  (March  2d),  departs  November  10th. 

The  soft  warble  of  the  Bluebird  has  come  to  be  recognized  as  the 
announcement  of  spring's  arrival,  and  we  look  eagerly  for  the  bird  on 
every  warm  day  of  February. 

In  southern  New  Jersey,  and  elsewhere  locally,  the  Bluebird's 
presence  has  less  significance,  as  small  flocks  find  shelter  in  the 
thickets  all  winter  long,  and  even  on  days  that  are  anything  but 
spring-like,  we  can  hear  their  low  "tur-lur,  tur-lur." 

The  Bluebird  seems  to  have  been  one  of  the  chief  sufferers  from 
the  introduction  of  the  English  Sparrow,  and  many  a  bird  box  for- 
merly inhabited  by  these  beautiful  Americans  is  now  the  domicile  of 
the  ever  present  foreigner,  recalling  the  deserted  old  homesteads  that 
one  sees  now  and  then  converted  into  shelters  for  gangs  of  Italian 
laborers. 


Bibliography  of 
New  Jersey  Ornithology. 


Apart  from  the  casual  allusions  to  birds  made  in  the  journals  of 
some  of  the  early  voyagers  who  entered  the  mouth  of  Delaware  Bay, 
the  first  work  to  contain  notes  on  New  Jersey  birds  is  Peter  Kalm's 
Travels,  in  which  are  comments  on  various  species  observed  by  him 
during  his  stay  at  the  Swedish  settlement  of  Raccoon,  on  the  Dela- 
ware, in  1749.  The  great  classics  of  American  ornithological  litera- 
ture, the  works  of  Wilson,  Audubon  and  Nuttall,  contain  many  refer- 
ences to  the  birds  of  the  State,  while  in  later  years  the  ornithologists 
of  Philadelphia  and  New  York,  as  well  as  resident  naturalists,  have 
published  many  lists  and  notes  dealing  with  New  Jersey  birds.  The 
following  list  contains  all  the  more  important  books  and  papers  re- 
lating to  the  ornithology  of  the  State  and  shorter  notes  or  papers 
dealing  with  special  species : 

1753-61.  KALM.  PETER.     En  Resa  Til  Noira  America,  &c.     Stock- 
holm, Vols.  L-III. 

First  English  Edition,  1770-71,  for  bird  matter,  cf.  Trotter,  Auk,  1903, 
p.  249. 

1799.  BARTON,  B.  S.    Fragments  of  the  Natural  History  of  Pennsyl- 
vania.   Philadelphia,  folio  pp.  i.-xviii.  and  1-24. 

As  Philadelphia  naturalists  have  never  been  able  to  stay  on  their  own 
side  of  the  Delaware  River,  it  is  probable  that  Barton's  observations  relate 
in  part  to  New  Jersey. 

1808-1814.  WILSON,   ALEXANDER.     American    Ornithology.      Phila- 
delphia, Vols.  I.-IX. 

The  text  of  the  last  volume  is  by  George  Ord.  Wilson's  excursions  into 
New  Jersey  seem  to  have  been  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Camden,  and 
along  the  coast  from  Beesley's  Point  and  Ocean  City  to  Cape  May  City. 

(317) 


318   EEPOET  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1815.  ORD,  GEORGE.  Zoology  in  the  Second  American  Edition  of 
Guthrie's  Zoology. 

The  Bonaparte's  and  Ring-billed  Gulls  are  here  described  from  the 
Delaware  River. 

1817.  ORD,  GEORGE.     An  account  of  an  American  Species  of  the 
genus  Tantalus  or  Ibis.    Jour.  Acad.  Nat.  Sri.,  Phila.,  L,  p.  53 
Plegadis  autumnalis  from  Egg  Harbor. 

1834-5.  ORD,  GEORGE.  Additional  matter  in  Wilson's  American 
Ornithology  (second  edition). 

The  new  matter  is  mainly  in  Vols.  VII.-IX.,  which  were  much  amplified. 

1825-33.  BONAPARTE,  CHAS.  L.  American  Ornithology,  Vols.  I.-IV. 
Philadelphia. 

Virtually  a  continuation  of  Wilson,  containing  a  few  references  to  New 
Jersey  birds. 

1826-28.  BONAPARTE,  CHAS.  L.  The  Genera  of  North  American 
Birds  and  a  synopsis  of  the  species  found  within  the  territory  of 
the  United  States.  Ann.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist.,  New  York,  ii.,  pp. 
7-128,  293-451. 

A  few  mentions  of  New  Jersey. 

1828.  BONAPARTE,  CHAS.  L.  Further  Additions  to  the  Ornithology 
of  the  United  States.  Ann.  Lye.  Nat.  Hist.,  New  York,  ii.,  pp. 
154-161. 

Tringa  himantopus  discovered  in  New  Jersey. 

1828-9.  ORD,  GEORGE.  Additional  matter  in  Wilson's  American  Or- 
nithology (Hall  Edition,  Vols.  L-IIL,  and  Vol.  of  Plates). 

1830.  ANONYMOUS.      Woodcock    Shooting.      Doughty's    Cabinet    of 
Natural  History,  L,  pp.  97-99. 
In  New  Jersey. 

1831-39.  AUDUBON,  J.  J.  Ornithological  Biography,  Vols.  I.-V.. 
Edinburgh. 

Audubon's  references  to  New  Jersey  birds  are  based  upon  a  residence 
of  several  months  (middle  of  May  to  middle  of  September,  1829)  at  Cam- 
den,  a  visit  to  Egg  Harbor  [Beesley's  Point]  in  June,  1829,  and  a  few  ex- 
cursions with  his  friend,  Edward  Harris,  who  resided  at  Moorestown.  He 
also  quotes  observations  of  Mr.  Harris  and  of  Dr.  James  Trudeau. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  319 

1832.  GREEN,  JACOB.  Notes  of  a  Naturalist.  Doughty 's  Cabinet  of 
Nat.  Hist.,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  7-10  and  53-56. 

Chronological  notes  at  Princeton,  N.  J.,  following  the  plan  of  Barton's 
Fragments  of  Nat.  History. 

1832.  I.  The  Variety  of  Game  in  New  Jersey.  Doughty' s  Cabinet  of 
Nat.  Hist.,  II.,  pp.  15-18. 

Pinnated  Grouse  almost  exterminated  on  the  "plains." 

1832.  RUSTICUS.     My  Favorite  Walks.     Doughty's  Cabinet  of  Nat. 
Hist.,  Vol.  II.,  pp,  95-96. 
In  New  Jersey. 

1832.  EDITOR.  Hudsonian  Godwit.  Doughty' s  Cabinet  of  Nat.  Hist., 
Vol.  II.,  p.  158. 

Discovery  of  this  species  in  New  Jersey  at  Cape  May  by  T.  R.  Peale,  in 
May,  1828. 

1832-1834.  NUTTALL,  THOMAS.  A  manual  of  the  ornithology  of 
the  United  States  and  of  Canada.  Vols.  I.  and  II.  Cambridge 
and  Boston. 

Nearly  all  references  to  New  Jersey  are  quotations  from  Wilson  or 
Audubon,  which  is  remarkable  when  we  consider  how  much  time  Nuttall 
had  spent  in  the  State  pursuing  his  botanical  investigation. 

1836.  ORD,   GEORGE.     Observations  on  the   Cowbunting.     London's 
Magazine,  IX.,  p.  55. 

Mentions  nest  of  Dendroica  vigorsii  ["Sylvia  pinus"]  found  by  Wilson 
near  the  coast  of  New  Jersey,  May,  1813. 

1837.  WARD,  J.  F.     Notice  of  the  Pine  Grosbeak   (Pyrrhula  enu- 
cleator)  in  the  environs  of  New  York.    Ann.  Lye.  N.  Y.f  IV., 
p.  51. 

1844.  CASSIN,  JOHN.  On  the  abundance  of  Strix  nyctea  about  Phila- 
delphia. Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila.,  II.,  p.  19. 

One  hundred  shot  in  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey,  winter  1843-4. 

1844.  GIRAUD.  J.  P.    Birds  of  Long  Island. 

Refers  to  the  Heath  Hen  and  some  other  birds  in  New  Jersey. 


320    EEPOET  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1846.  LAWRENCE,  GEO.  N.  Description  of  a  New  Species  of  Anser. 
Ann.  Lye.  N.  Y.f  IV.,  p.  171. 

Branta  nigrlcans  from  New  Jersey  coast. 

1848.  SAMUEL   CABOT.     European  Widgeon   taken  in   New  Jersey. 
Proc.  Bost.  Soc.  Nat.  Hist.,  III.  p.  21. 
Cf.  also  do.  VI.,  p.  376. 

1848.  HERBERT,  HENRY  WM.     Frank  Forester's  Field  Sports  of  the 
United    States    and    British    Provinces    of    North    America. — 
(Numerous  subsequent  editions). 
Includes  accounts  of  wild  fowl  of  the  New  Jersey  coast. 

1851.  CASSIN,  JOHN.    Notice  of  an  American  species  of  Duck  hith- 
erto regarded  as  identical  with  the  Oidemia  fusca  L.    Proc.  Acad. 
Nat.  Sci.,  Phila.,  V.,  p.  126. 

O.  velvetina  [O.  deglandi  Bp.]  described  from  Egg  Harbor. 

1852.  LAWRENCE,  GEO.  N.     Ornithological  Notes.    Ann.  Lye.  N.  Y., 
V.,  p.  220. 

Varied  Thrush  and  Pine  Grosbeak  from  New  Jersey. 

1853.  HERBERT,  HENRY  WM.  (FRANK  FORESTER).    American  Game 
in  Its  Seasons.    N.  Y.  1853. 

1853.  KRIDER,  JOHN.     Sporting  Anecdotes  Illustrative  of  the  Habits 
of  Certain  Varieties  of  American  Game.    Phila.,  1853. 
Refers  to  New  Jersey  birds. 

1855.  CASSIN,  JOHN.  Kemarks  on  the  appearance  of  Loxia  leucop- 
tera  in  great  numbers  in  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia.  Proc. 
Acad.  Nat.  Sci,,  Phila.,  VII.,  p.  203. 

1855.  CASSIN,  JOH:N.  Remarks  on  Crex  pratensis.,  a  specimen  of 
which  was  obtained  from  Salem,  New  Jersey.  Proc.  Acad.  Nat. 
Jci.,  Phila.,  VII.,  p.  265. 

.857.  BEESLEY,  THOS.  Catalogue  of  the  birds  of  the  County  of  Cape 
May,  in  Geology  of  the  County  of  Cape  May,  N.  J.,  by  Win. 
Kitchell. 

Briefly  annotated  list  of  196  species  at  pp.  138-145.     The  following  are 
among  the  species  starred  to  indicate  that  they  breed  in  the  county.    That 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  321 

none  of  them  do  breed  in  the  county  is  certain,  and  it  may  be  that  the  plac- 
ing of  stars  opposite  them  was  purely  a  printer's  error.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  the  last  two  they  do  not  even  breed  in  the  State :  White-throated 
Sparrow,  Tree  Sparrow.  Myrtle  Warbler,  Black-poll  Warbler,  Yellow- 
palm  Warbler,  Ruby  and  Golden-crowned  Kinglets,  Golden-winged  Warbler 
and  Black-throated  Green  Warbler.  There  are  interesting  references  to 
birds  in  the  historic  chapter  by  Dr.  Maurice  Beesley. . 

1857.  LEWIS,   ELISHA   J.     The   American    Sportsman.      Containing 
hints  to  sportsmen,  notes  on  shooting,  the  habits  of  the  game 
birds  and  wild  fowl  of  North  America.     Phila. 

Refers  to  birds  of  New  Jersey  coast. 

1858.  BAIRD,  SPENCER  F.;   CASSIN,  JOHN,  and  LAWRENCE,  GEO.  X. 
Explorations  and  surveys  for  a  railroad  route  from  the  Missis- 
sippi River  to  the  Pacific  coast.     Vol.  IX.,  Birds.     Washington, 
pp.  i.-lvi.  and  1-1005. 

In  the  catalogue  of  specimens  a  number  of  New  Jersey  specimens  are 
listed. 

1866.  LAWRENCE,  GEO.  X.  Catalogue  of  birds  observed  in  New  York, 
Long  and  Staten  Islands  and  adjacent  parts  of  New  Jersey. 
Ann.  Lye.,  New  York,  VIII.,  pp.  279-300. 

Several  important  New  Jersey  records:  Dri/obates  borealis,  Mini  us 
polyglottos,  Piranf/a  rubra  and  Scolopax  rusticola. 

1868.  TRIPPE,  T.  M.     The  Dwarf  Thrush.     Amer.  Nat.,  II.,  p.  380. 
Records   of   Hermit    (?)    Thrush   and   Bohemian   Waxwing  at   Orange 

N.  J. 

1868.  ABBOTT,  C.  C.  Catalogue  of  vertebrate  .animals  of  New  Jersey. 
Cook's  Geology  of  New  Jersey,  App.  E.,  pp.  751-830. 

This  publication  is  noteworthy  as  being  the  first  general  list  of  New 
Jersey  birds.  No  less  than  301  species  are  given,  but  unfortunately  the 
data  accompanying  the  records  of  rare  species  are  very  incomplete  and 
unsatisfactory,  while  many  statements  about  the  time  of  occurrence  of 
species  in  the  State,  especially  as  regards  the  breeding  season,  are  wholly 
at  variance  with  the  experience  of  all  other  ornithologists  who  have  since 
studied  the  birds  of  New  Jersey. 

The  following  species  are  mentioned  as  breeding  or  as  occurring  through- 
out the  summer  in  New  Jersey,  although  no  one  else  has  been  able  to 
verify  Dr.  Abbott's  statements,  and  unfortunately  the  latter  are  not  sup- 
ported by  any  exact  dates  or  localities  or  by  any  specimens :  Pigeon 
Hawk,  Hermit  Thrush.  Olive-backed  Thrush.  Ruby-crowned  Kinglet, 
Golden-crowned  Kinglet,  Winter  Wren,  Red-bellied  Nuthatch,  Brown 
Creeper,  Blackburnian  Warbler,  Northern  Shrike,  Fox  Sparrow,  Rusty 

21 


322    EEPOKT  OF  NEW  JEHSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Blackbird,  Saw-whet  Owl,  Yellowlegs,  Greater  Yellowlegs,  Solitary  Sand- 
piper, Mallard,  Blue-winged  Teal,  Green-winged  Teal,  Bufflehead  Duck. 

In  Dr.  Abbott's  "Birds  About  Us,"  published  in  1895,  he  omits  New 
Jersey  from  the  breeding  range  of  many  of  these  species,  notably  the 
Olive-backed  Thrush,  Kinglets,  Winter  Wren,  Red-bellied  Nuthatch,  Rusty 
Blackbird  and  Fox  Sparrow.  In  his  publications  of  1870  and  1884  (see 
below ) ,  however,  he  endorsed  most  of  the  above  statements  and  even  added 
other  "breeders"  of  the  same  class. 

1869.  TURXBULL,  W.  P.    The  Birds  of  East  Pennsylvania  and  New 
Jersey.     Philadelphia,  8vo.,  pp.  i.-viii.,  1-50.     Also  an  identical 
Glasgow  edition  and  a  larger  quarto  with  vignettes. 

This  is  our  first  reliable  list  of  the  birds  of  Pennsylvania  and  New 
Jersey. 

1870.  ABBOTT,  C.  C.    The  Marsh  Harrier.     Arner.  Nat.,  IV.,  p.  377. 

Comment  on  scarcity  of  males  in  New  Jersey. 

1870.  ABBOTT,  C.  C.    Night  Herons.    Amer.  Nat.,  IV.,  p.  377. 
In  the  city  of  Trenton. 

1870.  ABBOTT,  C.  C.     Notes  on  certain  inland  birds  of  New  Jersey. 
Amer.  Nat.,  IV.,  pp.  536-550. 

1871.  THORPE,,  T.  B.     Bird  Shooting  on  the  Coast  of  New  Jersey.— 
Appleton's  Journal,  VI.,  Sept.  1871,  p.  379. 

1872.  LOCKWOOD,  SAMUEL.    The  Great  Nothern  Shrike  and  the  Eng- 
lish Sparrow.    Amer.  Nat.,  VI.,  p.  236. 

Shrikes  and  birds  of  prey  as  enemies  of  the  Sparrows. 

1872.  ABBOTT,  C.  C.     Occurrence  of  the  Scissor-tailed  Flycatcher  in 
New  Jersey.     Amer.  Nat.,  VI.,  p.  367-8. 

Shot  on  Crosswick's  Meadows,  five  miles  below  Trenton,  April  15th. 

1873.  TRIPPE,  T.  M.     The  Irregular  Migrations  of  Birds.     Amer. 
Nat.,  VII.,  pp.  389-394. 

Sudden  appearance  of  Great-crested  Flycatcher  at  Orange,  N.  J.,  and 
absence  of  Red-headed  and  Hairy  Woodpeckers. 

1873.  TRIPPE,  T.  M.  The  Golden-winged  Woodpecker.  Notice  of 
Colaptes  auratm  x  mesricanus  at  Orange,  New  Jersey.  Amer. 
Nat.,  VII.,  1873,  p.  498. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  323 

l<s;  l-l  ss  ;.  BAIRD,  S.  F. ;  BREWER,  T.  M.,  and  RIDGWAY,  R.  History 
(if  North  American  Birds.  Land  Birds,  1874,  Vols.  I.— III.; 
Water  Birds, 'Vols.  I.,  II.,  1884. 

Contains  a  few  references  to  New  Jersey,  probably  all  compiled. 

1874.  ABBOTT,  C.  C.  The  Kinglets  in  New  Jersey.  Amer.  Nat., 
VIII.,  pp.  364-365. 

Still  maintains  they  nest  in  New  Jersey,  but  gives  no  data. 

1874.  BI;E\YER,  T.  M.  The  Kinglets  in  New  Jersey.  Amer.  Nat., 
VIII.,  p.  502. 

1874.  HERIUCK,  HAROLD.     Description  of  a  new  species  of  Helmin- 
thophaga.     Proc  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  PUla.,  1874,  p.  220. 
Type  of  H.  lawrencei  taken  in  New  Jersey. 

1874.  TRIPPE,  T.  M.     The  Migration  of  Birds.     Amer.  Nat.,  VIII., 
338-348. 

Refers  to  Connecticut  Warbler,  Tree  Swallow  and  Hawk  flights. 

1875.  ABBOTT,  C.  C.     Notes  on  the  habits  of  certain  Thrushes.    Rod 
and  Gun,  VI.,  p.  86,  May  8th,  1.875. 

At  Trenton,  N.  J. 

1876.  ABBOTT,  C.  C.    Bewick's  Wren.    Amer.  Nat.,  X.,  p.  237. 
"Have  not  failed  to  find  a  considerable  number  for  several  years  past." 

1876.  ABBOTT,  C.  C.  My  February  Field  Notes. — Forest  and  Stream, 
VI.,  Mar.  23d,  1876,  pp.  99-114.  March  Notes  do.,  April  20th, 
p.  163.  Three  Months  of  Field  Notes  do.  Aug.  10th,  pp.  3,  20. 

1876.  ABBOTT,  C.  C.  The  occurrence  of  White  Egrets  at  Trenton,  N. 
J.  Amer.  Nat.,  X.,  pp.  473-476. 

The  Snowy  Heron  arrived  in  numbers  August  14th,  and  some  Ameri- 
can Egrets  August  17th.  The  Little  Blue  Herons  "a?'e  always  here  and 
caused  no  comment."  Yet,  according  to  Dr.  Abbott,  no  White  Herons 
had  been  seen  for  several  years  in  any  numbers.  As  the  Little  Blue 
Herons  are  always  far  more  plentiful  in  the  white  plumage  at  this  time, 
and  as  the  species  has  not  known  to  breed  in  the  Delaware  Valley,  so  far 
as  the  experience  of  others  goes,  it  would  seem  probable  that  Dr.  Abbott's 
(Snowy  Herons)  were  really  the  immature  Little  Blue  Herons.  Similar 
flights  have  occurred  since. 


324   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1876.  PIERCE,  M.  P.     Scarcity  of  Birds  in  New  Jersey. — Forest  and 
Stream,  VI.,  March  16th,  1876,  p.  84. 

1877.  HERRICK,  H.     Capture  of  a   second  specimen  of  Helmintho- 
phaga  lawrencei.     Bull  Nult.  Om.  Club,  1877,  p.  19. 

Hoboken,  N.  J.,  spring  1876. 

1878.  HUYLER,    A.    I.      Winter    Birds    on    the    Hackensack. — The 
Country,  L,  p.  149. 

1878.  SCOTT,  W.  E.  D.     Some  Princeton  Birds.— The  Country,  I., 
p.  354. 

1879.  DWIGHT,   J.,   Ju.     The   Stilt   Sandpiper   on   the   New   Jersey 
coast.    Bull  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  63. 

Ten  shot  at  Squan  Beach  September  1st,  1879. 

1879.  HERRICK,  H.  Notes  on  some  birds  of  Chatham,  New  Jersey. 
Forest  and  Stream,  April  3d,  1879,  p.  165. 

Notes  on  twenty-six  species  rare  or  of  special  interest. 

1879.  NICHOLS,  G.  L.  Migration  of  some  Warblers  through  Summit, 
New  Jersey,  during  the  last  spring.  Forest  and  Stream,  July 
17th,  1879,'  p.  464. 

1879.  SCOTT,  W.  E.  I).    Late  fall  and  winter  notes  on  some  birds  ob- 
served in  the  vicinity  of  Princeton,  New  Jersey,  1878-79.    Bull. 
JV?/^.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  pp.  81-85. 
Many  valuable  observations. 

1879.  SCOTT,  W.  E.  D.    Notes  on  birds  observed  at  Long  Beach,  New 
Jersey.    Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  pp.  222-22S. 
The  most  important  paper  on  our  coast  birds. 

1879.  TREAT,  M.  Notes  on  the  intelligence  of  birds.  Lippincott's 
Magazine,  xxiv.,  September,  1879,  pp.  359-364. 

1879.  ZAREGA,  L.  A.  Capture  of  a  Fish  Crow  near  Seabright,  Mon- 
mouth  county,  New  Jersey.  Bull  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1879,  p.  239. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  325 

1880.  ABBOTT,  W.  L.  Passerculus  princeps  in  New  Jersey.  Forest 
and  Stream,,  XIV.,  p.  44. 

One  shot  at  Seven  Mile  Beach  December  30th,  1879. 

1880.  ALLEN,  J.  A.    Destruction  of  birds  by  lighthouses.    Butt.  Nutt. 
Orn.  Club,  1880,  p.  134. 
Reference  to  Cape  May  Light. 

1880.  HALES,  HENRY.  The  birds  on  a  farm.  Oologist,  1880,  p.  74. 
At  Ridgewood,  New  Jersey. 

Nesting  of  Rose-breasted  Grosbeaks  and  Bobolinks. 

1880.  LOCKAVOOD,  S.  A  Black  Robin.  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1880, 
p.  46. 

At  Freehold,  N.  J. 

1880.  SCOTT,  W.  E.  D.  Golden-winged  Woodpeckers  nesting  in  a 
natural  cavity  in  a  decayed  tree.  Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1880,  p. 
56. 

At  Princeton,  N.  J. 

1880.  ZAREGA,  L.  A.    Notes  on  the  northern  range  of  the  Fish  Crow, 
with    some  account  of  its  habits.    Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1880, 
pp.  205-208. 

Regularly  to  Seabright  and  less  so  to  Sandy  Hook. 

1881.  BREWSTER,  W.     On  the  relationship  of  Helminthophaga  leuco- 
bronchialis  and  H.  lawrencei,  &c.    Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club. 

Nyack,  N.  J. 

1881.  DUTCHER,   W.     Great   Carolina   Wren.     Forest  and   Stream, 
XVI.,  July  14th,  1881,  p.  473. 
Specimen  taken  at  Greenville,  N.  J. 

1881.  SCOTT,  W.  E.  I).     Occurrence  of  Virco  philadelphicus  in  Mer- 
cer county,  New  Jersey.    Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1881,  p.  56. 
Two  shot,  September  21st  and  28th,  1876. 

1881.  SCOTT,  W.  E.  D.    Some  observations  on  the  migration  of  birds. 
Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1881,  p.  97  and  p.  188. 
Through  a  telescope  at  Princeton. 


326    REPORT  OF  XEW  JEKSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1881.  SCOTT,  W.  E.  D.    The  White-bellied  Swallow  on  the  Xew  Jer- 
sey Coast  in  November.    Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1881,  p.  115. 
Abundant  at  Squan  Beach  November  16th,  1880. 

1881.  SCOTT,  W.  E.  D.    The  Ipswich  Sparrow  at  Squan  Beach,  Xew 
Jersey.     Bull.  Nutt.  Orn.  Club,  1881,  p.  116. 

One  shot  November  16th,  1880,  by  G.  R.  Hardenbergh. 

1882.  HOMO.     English  Widgeon  on  the  Xew  Jersey  Coast.     Forest 
and  Stream,  XVIII.,  March  3d,  1882,  p.  86. 

Several  killed  at  Tuckerton  and  Little  Egg  Harbor.     Hutchin's  Goose 
killed  at  Tuckerton. 

1882.  RHOADS,  S.  X.  Xesting  of  Empidonax  minimus  and  Helmin- 
therus  vermivorus  in  Pennsylvania  and  Xew  Jersey.  Bull.  Nutt. 
Orn.  Club,  1882,  p.  55. 

1882.  WESCOTT,  C.  S.     Occurrence  of  the  Snow  Goose  in  Delaware 
Bay.     Forest  and  Stream,  XVII.,  January  5th,  1882,  p.  447. 

Remained  at  Bombay  Hook  all  winter. 

1883.  ABBOTT,  C.  C.    Occurrence  of  the  Swallow-tailed  Kite  in  Xew 
Jersey.     Science,  Vol.  II.,  Xo.  29,  p.  222. 

1883.  B.  B.    The  Clapper  Rail.    Orn.  and  Oologist,  p.  39,  40. 
Seven  hundred  eggs  collected  for  sale. 

1883.  BELLOWS,  C.  E.  Rare  Birds.  Ornithologist  and  Oologist, 
VIII.,  p.  16. 

"Common  Cormorant   (Phalacrocorax  car&o)"  taken  at  Bridgeton,  N.  J. 

1883.  HAINES,  B.  B.  Long-billed  Marsh  Wren.  Ornithologist  and 
Oologist,  VIII.,  p.  6. 

Nesting  habits  in  New  Jersey. 

1883.  HAINES,  H.  F.  Breeding  of  the  Virginia  Rail  at  Elizabeth, 
Xew  Jersey.  0.  and  0.,  VIII.,  p.  7. 

1883.  MORGAN,  T.  Xest  of  Totanus  melanoleucus  found  at  Somer- 
ville,  Xew  Jersey.  Ornithologist  and  Oologist,  VIII.,  p.  67. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  XEW  JERSEY.  327 

1883.  RHOADS,  S.  N.     Early  Capture  of  the  Orange-crowned  War- 
bler.   Bull.  Nutt.  Om.  Club,  1883,  p.  179. 

Haddonfield,  N.  J.,  March  22d,  1883. 

1884.  B.  B.     The  Wood  or  Summer  Duck.     Orn.  and  Oologist. 
Nests  on  Passaic  River  and  in  Ocean  county. 

1884.  T.  B.  A.  The  Egret  (in  New  Jersey).  Forest  and  Stream, 
February  14th,  p.  44. 

1884.  T.  B.  A.  The  Least  Bittern.  Forest  and  Stream,  February 
7th,  p.  25. 

Its  abundance  in  New  Jersey. 

1884.  BARBELL,  H.  F.  Arrival  of  Birds  at  New  Providence,  Union 
County,  New  Jersey  (1883).  0.  and  0.,  1884,  p.  45. 

1884.  BELLOWS,  C.  E.  The  Willet  (iSymphemia  semipalmata) 
Breeding  in  Delaware  Bay.  Forest  and  Stream,  June  oth,  p. 
364. 

1884.  RIKER,  C.  B.  Crossbills  in  New  Jersey.  Forest  and  Stream, 
May  15th,  p. '302. 

1884.  SHERRATT,  W.  J.  (==W.  J.  Rogers).  European  Skylark  in 
New  Jersey.  0.  and  0.,  1884,  p.  24. 

1884.  SHERRATT,  W.  J.  Briinnich's  Murre  on  Great  Bay,  New  Jer- 
sey. 0.  and  0.,  1884,  p.  48. 

1884.  ABBOTT,  C.  C.    A  Naturalist's  Rambles  about  Home.     D.  Ap- 
pleton  &  Company,  1884,  8vo.,  p.  485. 

In  this  work  Dr.  Abbott  presents  a  list  of  the  birds  of  Mercer  county, 
•New  Jersey,  in  which  he  reiterates  many  of  the  statements  made -in  his 
State  list  of  1868  about  the  nesting  of  various  birds,  and  adds  some 
species  as  summer  residents  which  no  other  ornithologists  have  found  in 
the  State  at  this  season.  There  is  the  same  lack  of  data  that  characterized 
the  earlier  list.  Cf.  J.  A.  ALLEN,  Auk,  1885,  p.  86,  for  critical  review. 

1885.  BARRELL,  H.  F.    Birds  of  Upper  Passaic  Valley,  N.  J.     0.  and 
0..  1885,  pp.  21  and  42. 

Unreliable.     A  number  of  species  listed  as  breeders  which  do  not  nest 
in  New  Jersey.     No  details  given. 


328    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1885.  RIKER,  C.  B.     A  specimen  of  Helminthophila  leucobronchialis 
in  Xew  Jersey.    Auk,  1885,  p.  378. 

Maplewood,  Essex  county,  May  llth,  1883. 

188(3.  ABBOTT,  C.  C.    Upland  and  Meadow. 

1886.  ALLEN,  J.  A.    Aegialitis  meloda  circumcincta  on  the  Xew  Jer- 
sey coast,    Auk,  1886,  p.  482. 

1886.  BAILEY,  H.  B.     The  Cardinal  Grosbeak  and  Tufted  Titmouse, 
Weeding  in  Essex  county,  X.  J.    Auk,  1886,  p.  410. 

1886.  BAILEY,  H.  B.     Wilson's  Thrush,  breeding  at  South  Orange, 
X.  J.    Auk,  1886,  p.  489. 

1886.  BKEWSTER,  W.     An  interesting  specimen   of  Helminthophila. 
Auk,  1886,  p.  411. 

Intermediate  between  H.  lawrencei  and  H.  pinus,  taken  at  Morristown, 
X.  J.,  May  15th,  1884,  by  Frank  Blanchet. 

1886.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.    The  Lark  Finch  in  Xew  Jersey.    Auk,  1886, 
p..  136. 

Specimen  secured  at  Schraalinburgh,  November  26th,  1885. 

1886.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.     Additional  specimen  of  H.  leucobronchialis 
at  Englewood,  X.  J.    Auk,  1886,  p.  411. 

1886.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.     The  Barn  Owl  at  Englewood,  X.  J.    Aukf 
1886,  p.  485. 

1886.  OLD  SALT.    A  day  among  the  Fish  Hawks  (includes  breeding 
of  Least  Bittern  at  Sea  Isle,  X.  J.).    Oologist,  1886,  p.  49. 

1886.  PARKER,  H.  G.    A  Two  Days'  Collecting  Trip  on  the  Xew  Jer- 
sey Coast,    0.  and  0.,  1886,  p.  138. 

A  valuable  account  of  bird 'life  on  Seven  Mile  Beach. 

1886.  RHOADS,  S.  X.    Crow  Roosts  and  Roosting  Crows.    Amer.  Nat., 

1886,  pp.  691  and' 777. 

The  most  extensive  paper  on  the  subject  up  to  this  time. 

1886.  THURBER,  E.  C.,  and  GREEN,  M.  M.    Winter  Birds  of  Morris- 
town,  N.  J.    0.  and  0.,  1886,  p.  90. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  329 

1886.  THURBER,  E.  C.,  and  GREEN,  M.  M.    Notes  on  the  Fall  Migra- 
tion from  Morristown,  N..  J.    0.  and  0.,  1886,  p.  92. 

1886.  THURBER,  E.  C.    Helminthophila  leucobronchialis  in  New  Jer- 
sey.   Auk,  1886,  p.  411. 

Taken  May,  1859,  at  Morristown,  by  Aug.  Blanchet. 


issd.  TRIPPETT,  H.    Red  Crossbill  and  Pine  Grosbeak  (at  Montclair. 
X.  J.).    Oologist,  1886,  p.  39. 

1887.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.  Additional  Captures  of  Helminthophila  leu- 
cobronchialis. Av.lt,  1887,  p.  348. 

Englewood,  N.  J.,  May  15th,  1886,  June  26th  and  July  31st,  1887. 

1887.  DEHAVEN,  I.  N.     Black  Skimmer  in  New  Jersey.    Forest  and 
Stream,  XXIX.,  December  1st,  1887.  p.  105. 
Two  seen  August  1st,  1887. 

1887.  FOSTER,  L.  S.    Melanerpcs  carolinus  (L.)  in  New  Jersey.    For- 
est and  Stream,  December  1st,  1887,  p.  363. 
Male  taken  at  Keyport,  November  23d,  1887. 

1887.  MARTIN,  E.  Crow  Roosts  of  New  Jersey.  Oologist,  IV.,  June- 
September,  pp.  94-95. 

1887.  RUTGERS,  C.  T.  Rail  in  Captivity.  Forest  and  Stream,  August 
4th,  1889,  p.  23. 

Virginia  Rail  and  young  at  Trenton,  N.  J. 

1887.  SCHICK,  C.  S.  Nesting  of  the  Black  Skimmer.  Orn.  and 
Oologist,  p.  102. 

Seventy-five   nests   on    Seven   Mile   Beach,   1885-6. 

1887.  THURBER,  E.  C.  Helminthophila  leucobronchialis  in  New  Jer- 
sey. Auk,  1887.  p.  349. 

Morristown,  N.  J.,  May  15th,  1887. 

1887.  THURBER.  E.  C.  A  list  of  the  Birds  of  Morris  County,  N.  J. 
True  Democratic  Banner,  Morristown,  N.  J.,  November  10th, 
17th.  '.Mth.  1887. 


330   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1888.  HALES,  HENRY.    A  Few  Bird  Notes.    0.  and  0.,  1888,  pp.  56 
and  158. 

Purple  Finch  in  New  Jersey  in  June,  1886. 

1888.  MORRIS,  E.  T.     Wood  Duck  in  Winter.     Forest  and  Stream, 
January  12th,  1888,  p.  485. 
On  Hackensack  marshes. 

1888.  RHOADS,  S.  X.     Occurrence  of  Larus  marinus  on  the  southern 
coast  of  New  Jersey.    Auk,  1888,  p.  318. 

Several  at  Atlantic  City  during  blizzard  of  March,  1888. 

1888.  SHICK,  C.   S.     A  Day  with  the  Fish  Hawks  on  Seven  Mile 
Beach.    Bay  State  Oologist,  I.,  No.  2,  February,  1888,  pp.  13-1.5. 
Also  Nesting  of  (Fish)   Crow,  p.  24,  and  occurrence  of  Pileated  Wood- 
pecker. 

1888.  S[HICK].  C.  S.    My  Annual  Trip  to  Seven  Mile  Beach,  N.  J. 
Oologist,  1888,  p.  120. 

1888.  WHEELER,  C.  LEE.    A  Nest  of  the  American  Osprey.    Oologist, 

1888,  p.  147. 

On  Two  Mile  Beach,  N.  J. 

1889.  CHADBOURNE,  A.  P.     An  Unusual  Flight  of  Killdeer  Plover 
Along  the  New  England  Coast.    Aukf  1889,  pp.  255-263. 

Navesink,  N.  J.,  December  15th,  1888. 

1889.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.    Notes  on  the  Mniotiltidce  of  Englewood,  N. 
J.    Auk,  VI.,  April,  1889,  p.  198. 

D.  tigrina  once,  O.  Philadelphia  once,  D.  viyorsii  twice,  D.  castanea 
twice,  H.  leucobronchialis  three,  Geothlypis  formosa  breeds.  H.  rnficapiUa, 
breeding  female,  taken  June  16th.  D.  discolor  entirely  absent. 

1889.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.    Notes  on  Birds  Observed  in  the  Vicinity  of 
Englewood,  N.  J.    Auk,  1889,  pp.  302-305. 

1889.  FOSTER,  L.  S.     The  Snowy  Owl  in  New  Jersey  in  November, 

1889.  Forest  and  Stream,  November  28th,  1889. 

1889.  H.  A.  R.  [=HARRY  G.  PARKER].    A  Trip  to  Seven  Mile  Beach, 
N.  J.    O.andO,,  1889,  p.  1. 


THE  BIEDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  331 

1890.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.  The  Song  of  Helminthophila  leucobronchi- 
alis.  Auk,  1890,  p.  291. 

Male  in  full  song  May  llth,  1890. 

1890.  HALES,  HENRY.  Bird  Notes  from  Northern  New  Jersey.  0. 
and  0.,  1890,  p.  106. 

1890.  J.  L.  K.  Syctea,  nyctea  and  Uria  levonira  at  Perth  Amboy, 
N.  J.  Forest  and  Stream,  XXXV.,  January  15th,  1890,  p.  511. 

1890.  LEWIS,  S.  The  Red-bellied  Woodpecker  in  Northwestern  New 
Jersey.  Auk,  1890,  p.  206. 

Shot  a  female  at  Newton,  November  16th,  1889. 

1890.  LINN^IAN  SOCIETY,  N.  Y.  Abstract  of  Proceedings,  No.  II., 
1889-1890. 

A  few  notes  on  New  Jersey  birds. 

1890.  NELSON,  JULIUS.  Descriptive  Catalogue  of  the  Vertebrates  of 
New  Jersey.  Geological  Survey  of  New  Jersey,  final  report,  Vol. 
II.,  1890. 

A  compilation  unfortunately  based  mainly  upon  Dr.  Abbott's  list  of 
1868.  Many  of  the  errors  of  that  work  are  repeated  and  a  few  new  ones 
added.  It  is  unfortunate  that  this  work  was  not  placed  in  the  hands  of  an 
ornithologist  for  revision. 

1890.  RAYMOND,  W.  0.     Evening  Grosbeaks  at  Summit,  N.  J.     0. 
and  0.,  1890,  p.  46. 
March  6th,  1890. 

1890.  SCHICK,  C.  S.  Birds  found  breeding  on  Seven  Mile  Beach, 
New  Jersey.  Auk,  1890,  pp.  326-329. 

1890.  WARREN,  B.  H.     Birds  of  Pennsylvania   (2d  edition). 
Refers  to  extermination  of  Least  Terns  in  New  Jersey. 

1891.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.     [Birds  of  High  Knob,  N.  J.]     Abst.  Proc. 
Linn.  Soc.,  1890-1,  p.  4. 

Virco  solitaries  in  June.     The  fauna  was  Alleghanian. 

1891.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.  Former  Occurrence  of  Spiza  americana  in 
Northern  New  Jersey.  Aiik,  1891,  p.  395. 


332    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1891.  NORRIS,  J.  P.     A  Series  of  Eggs  of  the  Osprey.     0.  and  0., 

1891,  p.  162. 

1892.  CHAPMAN/  F.   M.     Breeding   of    Helminthophila  pinus  with 
//.  leucobronchialis  at  Englewood,  X.  J.      Auk, '1892,  p.  302. 

1892.  Abstract  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Delaware  Valley  Ornitho- 
logical Club,  1890-1891,  pp.  1-13. 

1892.  HALES,  HENRY.     Bird  Notes  from  Northern  New  Jersey.     0. 
and  0.,  1892,  pp.  38  and  136. 

1892.  LAURENT,  PHILIP.     Birds  of  Five  Mile  Beach,  N.  J.     0.  and 
0.,  1892,  pp.  43,  53,  88. 

1892.  SOUTHWICK,  W.  C.     Seiurus  novel  or  acensis  notabilis  in  New 
Jersey.     Auk,  1892,  p.  303. 

One  shot  at  Raritan,  N.  J.,  May  30th,  1889. 

1892.  STONE,  W.     Winter  Birds  of  Cape  May,  New  Jersey.     Auk, 

1892,  p.  203. 

1893.  BURNS,  F.  L.     Nesting  of  the  Fish  Crow  on  the  New  Jersey 
Coast.     Oologist,  1893,  p.  310. 

1893.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.     The  Carolina  Wren  in  the  Lower  Hudson 
Valley.     Auk,  1893,  p.  87. 

Fort  Lee,  Englewood    (nesting  and  resident). 

1893.  GREENE,  H.  T..  Nesting  of  the  Barred  Owl  at  Montclair,  N.  J. 
Oologist,  1893,  p.  230. 

1893.  HOWELL,  A.  H.     On  the  Occurrence  of  Three  Rare  Birds  on 
Long  Island,  N.  Y.    Aulc,  1893,  p.  90. 

Mentions  Helminthophila  celata,  Hoboken,  N.  J.,  May,  1865.    C.  S.  Gal- 
braith  (Coll.  Amer.  Mus.  N.  H.). 

1893.  HOWLAND,  K.  V.  S.     Hawk  Migration.     Forest  and  Stream, 
June  1st,  1893,  p.  513. 
Montclair,  N.  J. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  333 

1893.  LIXNJSAN  SOCIETY  OF  N.  Y.  Abstract  of  Proceedings,  No.  V., 
1892-3. 

Occasional  notes  on  New  Jersey  birds. 

1893.  RICHARDS,  GEO.  Capture  of  a  Yellow  Rail,  Hackensack,  N.  J., 
September  30th,  1893.  Forest  and  Stream,  XLL,  October  21st, 

1893,  p.  33(5. 

1893.  STONE,   \V.     Sharp-tailed  Finches  of  the  New  Jersey  Coast. 
Ault,  1893,  p.  85. 

1894.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.     Visitors'  Guide  to  the  Local  Collection  of 
Birds   in   the   American   Museum   of    Natural    History,    N.    Y. 
City,  with  an  Annotated  List  of  the  Birds  known  to  occur  within 
Fifty  Miles  of  New  York  City. 

Covers  practically  the  same  territory  as  Lawrence's  18G6  list  and  brings 
the  X.  Y.  Local  List  up  to  date.  Contains  many  New  Jersey  records. 

1894.  STONK,  Wi T:\IER.  The  Birds  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania  and 
New  Jersey ;  prepared  under  the  direction  of  the  Delaware 
Valley  Ornithological  Club,  pp.  i.— vi.,  1—176,  Philadelphia. 

An  attempt  to  present  an  up-to-date  summary  of  the  bird-life  of  these 
two  States ;  352  species  are  listed. 

"Mr.  Stone,  with  the  assistance  of  his  fellow-members  of  the  Delaware 
Valley  Ornithological  Club,  has  presented  us  with  a  faunal  list  which, 
except  in  unimportant  details,  may  well  stand  as  a  model  for  works  of 
this  nature.  *  *  *  The  work  is  well  and  tastefully  printed,  typo- 
graphical errors  are  rare,  and  we  congratulate  Mr.  Stone  and  his  asso- 
ciates on  having  performed  their  task  in  a  manner  which  demands  the 
highest  commendation." — The  Auk,  N.  Y.  City. 

1894.  DAVIS,  W.  T.     Staten  Island  Crows  and  their  Roosts.     Auk, 

1894,  pp.  228-231. 

1894.  STONE,  W.    Summer  Birds  of  the  Pine  Barrens  of  New  Jersey. 
Auk,  1894,  p.  133. 

1895.  BURNS,  F.  L.     Notes  from  Southern  New  Jersey.    Auk,  1895, 
p.  189. 

Phalaropus  lobatus,  two  killed  May  23d,  1894.  Nest  of  Ammodramus 
IicHsloirii  found  May  22d  on  Peck's  Beach. 

1895.  ABBOTT,  ('.  C.     The  Birds  About  Us. 


334:   BEPORT  OF  XEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1895.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.     In  Abstract  Proc,  Linn.  Soc.,  X.  Y.,  VII., 
p.  3. 

Eighty  miles  off  Barnegat,  N.  J.,  May  6th,  1894,  large  flocks  of  North- 
ern Phalarope  and  two  Long-tailed  Jaegers. 

1895.  KRAM,  S.  A.     The  Turkey  Buzzard  in  Plainfield,  Xew  Jersey. 
Auk,  1895,  p.  80. 

One  caught  June  30th,  1894. 

1895.  OBERHOLSER,    H.    C.      Dendroica   palmarum    in   Xew   Jersey. 
Auk,  1895,  p.  185. 

Female  taken  at  Red  Bank,  Monmouth  county.  September  28th,  1889. 

1895.  SAGE,  J.  H.     The  Golden  Eagle  in  Xew  Jersey.     Auk,  1895. 
p.  179. 

Vineland,  N.  J.?  February  19th,  1868. 

1895.  VAN  BBNSSELAER,  STEPHEN,  JR.    Winter  Birds  of  the  Orange 
Mountains  in  Essex  County,  X.  J.     Oologist.  1895,  pp.  79-81. 

1896.  BERIER,  DE  L.     The  Pine  Grosbeak   (P.  enucleator)    in  Xew 
Jersey.    Auk,  1896,  p.  175. 

Two  seen  March  8th,  1896,  two  miles  west  of  Ridgewood. 

1896.  BRAJRLIX,  W.   C.     The  Golden  Eagle  in   Xew  Jersey.     Auk, 
1896,  p.  81. 

One  shot,  Crosswick's  Creek,  autumn,  1888. 

1896.  CHAPMAN,   F.   M.     The   Wild  Pigeon   at   Englewood,   X.   J. 
Auk,  1896,  p.  341. 

A  young  female  shot  by  C.  Irving  Wood,  June  23d,  1896. 

1896.  SHRINER,  C.  A.     The  Birds  of  New  Jersey.     Paterson,  1896, 
pp.  1-212. 

Wholly  compiled.     Species  arranged  alphabetically. 

1896.  STUDER,  J.  H.    Birds  of  Xorth  America. 

While  this  work  refers  casually  to  New  Jersey  birds,  the  information  is 
mainly  compiled,  some  of  it  from  such  ancient  sources  as  to  be  positively 
misleading,  as,  for  instance,  the  statement  that  a  few  Prairie  Hens  are 
"still"  found  in  the  State ! 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  335 

1897.   DKWriT,    DOXALD.      An    l.'nusual    Site    for    a    Robin's    N"«fit. 
Oologist,  1897,  p.  87. 
On  the  ground. 

1897.  JUDD,  S.'D.    Northern  New  Jersey  Notes.    Auk,  1897,  p.  326. 
Dctidroica   caerulea    taken    about    September    1st,    1887,   and    a    young 
Ammodramus  henslowii  August  8th,  1889,  at  Boonton,  Morris  county. 

1897.  OBERHOLSER,  H.  C.    An  Osprey's  Vigil. — Osprey,  II.,  p.  50. 
Monmouth  county,  N.  J. 

1897.  REED,  J.   H.  Unusual   Occurrence   of  Brimnich's  Murres  at 

Beverly,  X.  J.  Auk,  1897,  p.  202. 

December  15th  and  16th,  1896,  several  flocks  of  15-20;    several  speci- 
mens secured. 

1897:  REED,  J.  HARRIS.     Breeding  of  the  Rose-breasted  Grosbeak  at 
Beverly,  N.  J.    Auk,  1897,  p.  323. 
Nest  begun  June  1st,  1896. 

1897.  WILDE,  M.  L.   C.     Nesting  of  the   Parula  Warbler  in  Cape 
May  County,  New  Jersey.     Auk,  1897,  pp.  289-294. 

1898.  ANONYMOUS.     Ring-neck  Pheasant  in  N.  J.     Oologist,  1898, 
p.  81. 

1898.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.     Golden  Eagle  in  New  Jersey.    Auk,  1898, 
p.  54. 

One  caught  at  Long  Branch,  August,  1897. 

1898.  Abstract  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Delaware  Valley  Ornitho- 
logical Club,  1892-1897,  pp.  1-42, 

.1898.  OWEN,  C.  C.    The  American  Egret  at  Maplewood,  N.  J.    Auk, 
1898,  p.  51. 

Two  shot  July  27th,  1897. 

1898.  MILLER,  W.  D.  W.     New  Jersey  Notes.     Osprey,  February- 
March,  1898,  II.,  6-7,  p.  91. 
Several  winter  records  of  interest. 


336        EEPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1898.  STONE,  W.     Wilson's  Phalwrope  at  Ocean  City,  N.  J.     Auk, 
1898,  p.  268. 

One  shot  by  G.  H.  Moore,  May  19th,  1898. 

1899.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.     The  Season's  Flight  of  Crossbills.     Bird 
Lore,  1899,  p.  25,  also  p.  59,  and  1900,  p.  25. 

1899.  GBEEX,  H.  T.    A  Queer  Nesting  Site.     Oologist,  1899,  p.  104. 
Bluebird's  nest  in  tin  can  on  ground. 

1899.  LEMMON,  WM.  P.    Nest  of  Duck  Hawks  in  New  Jersey.    Os- 
prey,  IV.,  p.  42. 

On  the  Palisades  of  the  Hudson. 

1899.  STONE,  W.    A  Search  for  the  Reedy  Island  Crow  Roost.    Bird 
Lore,  1899,  pp.  177-180. 

1900.  CHILDS,  J.  L.     The  Mockingbird  at  Barnegat,  N.  J.,  and  on 
Long  Island,  N.  Y.    Auk,  1900,  p.  390. 

A  pair  seen  August  25th  at  Barnegat,  where  one  had  been  singing 
earlier  in  the  summer. 

1900.  CHILDS,  J.  L.     Tree   Swallows  by  the   Million.     Auk,  1900, 

p.  67. 

In  September  at  Barnegat,  N.  J. 

1900.  Abstract  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Delaware  Valley  Ornitho- 
logical Club,  1898-1899,  pp.  1-28. 

1900.  STONE,  W.     Breeding  of  the  Little  Black  Rail  in  New  Jersey 
in  1844  and  1845.    Auk,  1900,  p.  172. 

On  Egg  Harbor  River,  near  Beesley's  Point. 

1901.  BABSON,   W.    A.      Birds   of    Princeton,    N.   J.,   and   Vicinity. 
Bull,  of  the  Bird  Club  of  Princeton  University,  Vol.  L,  No.  1, 

pp.  7-82. 

An  admirable  publication.  The  best  work  devoted  exclusively  to  New 
Jersey  birds  that  had  appeared  up  to  this  time,  replete  with  accurate  and 
detailed  data. 

1901.  CRISPIN,   WM.    B.      Notes   on   Two   Birds   of    South   Jersey. 
Oologist,  1901,  p.  106. 
Osprey  and  Fish  Crow. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  XEW  JERSEY.  337 

1901.  Abstract  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Delaware  Valley  Ornitho- 
logical Club,  1900,  pp.  1-16. 

1901.  EVANS,  W.  B.     Some  Observations  on  the  Habits  of  Cross- 
bills (Loxia  c.  minor)  observed  at  Hanover,  N.  J.,  May  4th-6th, 

1900.  Abst.  Proc.  D.  V.  0.  C.,  1900,  p.  7. 

1901.  HALES,  HENRY.     Notes  on  the  Ruby- throated  Hummingbird. 
Bird  Lore,  1901,  p.  141. 
At  Ridgewood,  N.  J. 

1901.  LEMMON,  I.  McC.     Swallow  Maneuvers.     Bird  Lore,  1901, 
p.  174. 

Tree  Swallows  at  Englewood,  N.  J. 

1901.  MILLER,  W.  D.  W.     Breeding  of  the  Alder  Flycatcher   (Em- 
pidonax  traillii  alnorum)    near  Plainfield,  N.  J.     Auk,  1901, 
p.  108. 

1902.  Abstract'  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Delaware  Valley  Ornitho- 
logical Club,  1901.     Cassinia,  1901,  pp.  45-52. 

1902.  EVANS,   W.   B.     Trespassing   of   the   Rose-breasted    Grosbeak 
(Zamelodia  ludoviciana)    in  the  Carolinian   Fauna.     Cassinia, 

1901,  pp.  32-34. 

1902.  Spring  Migration,  1901.     Cassinia,  1901,  pp.  40-43. 
A  record  from  Moorestown  by  W.  B.  Evans. 

1903.  CHAPMAN,  F.  W.     The  Pine  Grosbeak  at  Englewood,  N.  J. 
Bird  Lore,  1903,  p.  199. 

1903.  COGGINS,  H.  L.     The  Heart  of  the  New  Jersey  Pine  Barrens. 
Cassinia,  1902,  pp.  26-31. 

A  good  description  of  the  bird-life. 

1903.  DARLINGTON,  E.  J.    Among  the  Great  Blue  Herons.    Oologist, 
1903,  p.  41. 
At  Salem,  N.  J. 

22 


338   EEPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1903.  Abstract  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Delaware  Valley  Ornitho- 
logical Club,  1902.  Cassinia,  1902,  pp.  49-57. 

1903.  EVANS,  W.  B.  The  Unusual  Flight  of  White  Herons  in  1902. 
Cassinia,  1902,  pp.  15-21. 

1903.  Hix,  G.  E.  Red  Crossbills  in  New  Jersey  in  July.  Bird  Lore, 
1903,  p.  166. 

1903.  JUSTICE,  A.  R.  Nesting  of  the  Little  Black  Rail  in  New  Jer- 
sey. Atlantic  Slope  Nat.,  1903,  I.,  No.  2,  p.  11. 

Nest  and  eight  eggs  on  meadows  of  Rancocas,  five  miles  from  Mount 
Holly,  May,  1872,  found  by  C.  L.  Mather,  and  bird  shot. 

1903.  MILLER,  W.  D.  W.  Breeding  of  the  Alder  Flycatcher  (Em- 
pidonax  traillii  alnorum)  near  Plainfield,  N.  J.  Auk,  1903, 
p.  68. 

1903.  MILLER,  W.  DEW.  The  Palm  Warbler  in  New  Jersey.  Bird 
Lore,  1903,  p.  199. 

At  Plainfield,  September  23d  and  October  4th. 

1903.  MORSE,  S.  R.  Birds  of  New  Jersey.  Annual  Report  of  the 
N.  J.  State  Mmeum,  1902,  pp.  25-34. 

A  catalogue  of  species  represented  in  the  museum. 

1903.  RHOADS,  S.  N.    Henslow's  Bunting  (Ammodramus  Jienslowii) 
in  New  Jersey.     Cassinia,  1902,  pp.  6-14. 
A  good  history  of  the  bird. 

1903.  STONE,  W.  Notes  on  Winter  Crow  Life  in  the  Delaware  Valley. 
Auk,  1903,  pp.  267-271. 

1903.  STONE,    W.      Spring   Migration,    1902.      Cassinia,    1902,   pp. 

32-48. 

Records  and  notes  from  eight  stations  in  New  Jersey. 

1903.  WILDE,  M.  L.  C.     An  unusual  Nesting  Site  of  the  Carolina 
Chickadee.    Atlantic  Slope  Nat.,  L,  No.  3,  p.  23. 
Swallow-tailed  Kite  seen  in  1893. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  339 

1903.  WILDE,  M.  L.  C.     Breeding  of  the  Pileated  Woodpecker  in 
Southern  New  Jersey.    Atlantic  Slope  Nat.,  I.,  No.  3,  p.  27. 

June   4th,    1893,    in    extreme   southeastern    Cumberland    county,    along 
West  Creek.    Also  Bendire  Life  Histories,  p.  107. 

1904.  CASKET,  R.  C.     Pine  Grosbeaks  in  New  Jersey.     Bird  Lore, 
1904,  p.  98. 

1904.  CHILDS,  J.  L.  Curlew  Sandpiper  in  New  Jersey.  Auk,  1904, 
p.  485. 

Same  record  as  following. 

1904.  CHILDS,  JOHN  LEWIS.  Curlew  Sandpiper  in  New  Jersey. 
Warbler,  1904,  p.  71. 

Long  Beach,  July  29th,  1904. 

1904.  COGGINS,  H.  L.  Crow  Roosts  and  Flight  Lines  in  South- 
eastern Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey.  Oassinia,  1903,  pp. 
29-42. 

A  supplement  to  Rhoads,  1886,  bringing  the  matter  up  to  date. 

1904.  Abstract  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Delaware  Valley  Ornitho- 
logical Club,  1903.  Cassinia,  1903,  pp.  71-77. 

1904.  FOWLER,  H.  W.  Water  Birds  of  the  Middle  Delaware  Valley. 
Cassinia,  1903,  pp.  43-53. 

A  valuable  summary  containing  much  original  data. 

1904.  GORMAN,  V.  E.     Notes  on  the  Birds  of  February  and  March, 
1902.    Bird  Lore,  1904,  p.  64. 
At  Montclair,  N.  J. 

1904.  HALES,  HENRY.  Mockingbirds  in  New  Jersey.  Bird  Lore, 
1904,  p.  134. 

1904.  JUSTICE,  A.  R.  Henslow's  Bunting  in  New  Jersey.  Atlantic 
Slope  Nat.,  L,  No.  6,  p.  79. 

On  Seven  Mile  Beach  many  specimens  taken  by  Mr.  Mcllvaine,  June, 
1875. 

1904.  LEMMON,  I.  McC.  A  Strenuous  Screech  Owl.  Bird  Lore,  1904, 
p.  133. 

Englewood,  N.  J. 


340   KEPOKT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1904.  McDAViTT,  I.  L.   Some  New  Jersey  Birds.  WarUer,  1904,  p.  6. 
A  Vineland,  N.  J.,  list. 

1904.  MILLER,  W.  D.  W.    Breeding  of  the  Dickcissel  in  New  Jersey. 
Auk,  1904,  p.  487. 

An  important  occurrence. 

1904.  MOESE,  S.  E.     Birds  of  New  Jersey.     Annual  Report  of  the 
N.  J.  State  Museum  for  1903,  pp.  29-118. 

Largely   transcribed   from  Stone,   Birds   of  Eastern   Pennsylvania   and 
New  Jersey. 

1904.  EHOADS,  S.  N.     Exit  the  Dickcissel — A  Remarkable  Case  of 
Local  Extinction.     Cassinia,  1903,  pp.  17-28. 
A  valuable  historical  re'sume'. 

1904.  ROGERS,  C.  H.    Notes  from  in  and  near  New  York.    Bird  Lore, 
1904,  p.  98. 

1904.  STONE,  W.   Spring  Migration,  1903.   Cassinia,  1903,  pp.  58-70. 
Notes  and  records  from  eleven  New  Jersey  stations. 

1904.  TROTTER,  SPENCER.  The  Red-headed  Woodpecker  as  a  Pennsyl- 
vania and  New  Jersey  Bird.    Cassinia,  1903,  pp.  6-10. 

1904.  WILDE,  M.  L.  C.    Breeding  of  the  Least  Bittern  in  New  Jersey. 
Atlantic  Slope  Nat.,  L,  No.  6,  p.  74. 

Rancocas  to  Cape  May. 

1905.  BRAISLIN,  WM.  C.    Avocet  in  New  Jersey.    Auk,  1905,  p.  78. 

1905.  BURKS,  F.  L.   Some  New  Jersey  Records.   Wilson  Bull.,  XVII., 
p.  27. 

1905.  CRISPIN,  WM.  B.     Some  Rare  Finds  this  Season.     Oologist, 
XXIL,  No.  4,  p.  90. 

1905.  CRISPIN,   WM.   B.      Great   Blue   Heron   Collecting  in    Salem 
County,  N.  J.     Oologist,  XXIL,  No.  7,  p.  101. 

1905.  Abstract  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Delaware  Valley  Ornitho- 
logical Club,  1904.    Cassinia,  1904,  pp.  62-68. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  341 

1905.  HANN,  H.  H.  A  Preliminary  List  of  the  Birds  of  Summit, 
Union  Co.  N.  J.  Wilson  Bull,  XVII.,  pp.  117-122. 

1905.  Hix,  GEO.  E.  Holbcell's  Grebe  at  Englewood,  1ST.  J.  Auk, 
1905,  p.  407. 

1905.  Hix,  GEO.  E.  Brewster's  Warbler  at  Englewood,  N.  J.  Auk, 
1905,  p.  417. 

1905.  HOLMES,  L.  K.  The  Short-billed  Marsh  Wren  (Cistothorus 
stellaris)  in  Eastern  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey.  Cassinia, 
1904,  pp.  17-25. 

A  history  of  the  species. 

1905.  HOLMES,  LARUE  K.  Summer  Birds  of  Summit,  Union  County, 
K  J.  Wilson  Bull.,  XVII.,  pp.  8-12. 

1905.  HUNT,  C.  J.  A-Birding  in  the  New  Jersey  Pines.  Wilson 
Bull.,  XVII.,  pp.  105-107. 

1905.  HUNT,  C.  J.  That  Feathered  Midget  of  Our  Tidewater 
Swamps — the  Long-billed  Marsh  Wren.  Cassinia,  1904,  pp. 
14-16. 

1905.  LEMMON,  ISABEL  McC.  Winter  Feeding  at  Englewood,  N.  J. 
Bird  Lore,  VIL,  p.  242. 

1905.  ROGERS,  C.  H.  July  Horizon  in  Mercer  County,  N.  J.  Wilson 
Bull,  XVIL,  p.  10. 

1905.  STONE,  W.   Spring  Migration,  1904.  Cassinia,  1904,  pp.  46-61. 

Contains  notes  and  records  from  twelve  New  Jersey  stations. 

1905.  WILDE,  M.  L.  C.    Breeding  Habits  of  Parula  Warbler  in  New 
Jersey.    Wilson  Bull,  XVIL,  pp.  4-8. 

1906.  BOWDISH,  B.  S.    Some  Breeding  Warblers  of  Demarest,  N.  J. 
Auk,  1906,  pp.  16-19. 


342   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1906.  BURNS,  F.  L.  Red-throated  Loon  at  Grassy  Sound,  N.  J.  Wil- 
son Bull.,  1906,  p.  25. 

1906.  CHAPMAN,  F.  M.  The  Birds  of  the  Vicinity  of  New  York  City. 
[Guide  Leaflet,  No.  22.]  Amer.  Museum  Journal,  Vol.  VI., 
Nos.  2  and  3.  April  and  July,  1906,  also  reprinted. 

A  valuable  compilation  containing  also  much  original  data  and  much 
more  complete  in  every  way  than  the  earlier  list  of  1894. 

1906.  DARLINGTON,  E.  J.  Haliaetus  leucocephalus.  Oologist,  July, 
p.  106. 

Breeding  in  New  Jersey. 

1906.  Abstract  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Delaware  Valley  Ornitho- 
logical Club,  1905.  Cassinia,  1905,  pp.  69-76. 

1906.  HALES,  HENRY.  Swallow  Notes  from  Northern  New  Jersey. 
Bird  Lore,  1906,  p.  173. 

1906.  HUNT,  C.  J.  Change  of  Location  of  a  Crow  Roost.  Auk,  1906, 
pp.  429-431. 

1906.  HUNT,  C.  J.  Two  Days  with  the  Beach  Birds  and  Botanists. 
Wilson  Bull.,  1906,  p.  97. 

1906.  MILLER,  R.  F.  $nowy  Owl  South  of  40th  Degree,  N.  Latitude. 
Oologist,  1906.  p.  -124. 

In  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey. 

1906.  MILLER,  W.  D.  W.  Notes  from  Plainfield,  N.  J.  Bird  Lore, 
1906,  p.  138. 

1906.  MILLER,  W.  D.  W.  Breeding  of  the  Savanna  Sparrow  in 
Southern  New  Jersey.  A.uk,  1906,  p.  340. 

1906.  MILLER,  W.  D.  W.  Migrant  Shrike  in  Spring.  Bird  Lore, 
1906,  p.  173. 

1906.  MILLER,  W.  D.  W.  Black  Terns  near  New  York  City.  Bird 
Lore,  1906,  p.  211. 


THE  BIRDS  OP  NEW  JERSEY.  343 

1906.  STONE,  W.   Spring  migration,  1905.   Cassinia,  1905,  pp.  52-67. 
Contains  notes  and  records  from  fourteen  New  Jersey  stations. 

1907.  ABBOTT,  CLINTON  G.    Summer  Bird  Life  of  the  Newark,  N.  J., 
Marshes.    Auk,  1907,  pp.  1-11. 

An  important  paper  announcing  the  breeding  of  the  Florida  Gallinule, 
Least  Bittern  and  Pied-billed  Grebe. 

1907.  ABBOTT,  CLINTON  G.     American  Coot  Nesting  near  Newark, 
N.  J.    Auk,  1907,  p.  436. 

1907.  Abstract  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Delaware  Valley  Ornitho- 
logical Club,  1906.    Cassinia,  1906,  pp.  58-64. 

1907.  Various  Writers.     European   Starling  in  N.   J.     Bird  Lore, 
1907,  pp.  209-210. 

1907.  HOLMES,  LARuE  K.     Birds  found  within  a  Radius  of  Twelve 
Miles  of  Summit,  New  Jersey.    Wilson  Bull,  1907,  pp.  21-27. 

1907.  A.  L.  L.    Hunting  Without  a  Gun.    Forest  and  Stream,  Feb- 
ruary 23d,  1907,  p.  292;   March  23d,  p.  454. 
Winter  birds  at  Millhurst,  N.  J. 

1907.  L[EMMON],  I.  McC.     Spring  Warblers.     Forest  and  Stream, 
August  17th,  1907,  p.  254. 
All  late  at  Englewood,  N.  J. 

1907.  MILLER,  R.  F.    Singular  Nesting  of  the  Fish  Hawk  or  Osprey 
on  Telegraph  Poles.    Oologist,  1907,  p.  156. 
At  Anglesea,  not  "Cape  May,"  as  stated. 

1907.  MILLER,  R.  F.    The  Black  Tern  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.    Auk,  1907, 
p.  211. 

1907.  MILLER,  W.  D.  W.    An  Owl  Tragedy.    Bird  Lore,  1907,  p.  173. 

Syrnium  varvum.     Nest  at  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

1907.  ROGERS,  C.  H.    Birds  observed  on  May  14th,  1907,  at  Princeton, 
N.  J.    Wilson  Bull,  1907,  pp.  104-107. 

In  article  by  Lynds  Jones,  which  also  contains  an  anonymous  list  from 
Bloomfield,  N.  J. 


344   REPOET  OE  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1907.  STONE,  W.   Spring  Migration,  1906.  Cassinia,  1906,  pp.  40-56. 
Contains  notes  and  records  from  eleven  New  Jersey  stations. 

1908.  HUNT,  C.  J.    A  Pensauken  Diary.    Cassinia,  1907,  pp.  44-53. 

1908.  Abstract  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Delaware  Valley  Ornitho- 
logical Club,  1907.    Cassinia,  1907,  pp.  81-86. 

1908.  STONE,  W.   Spring  Migration,  1907.   Cassinia,  1907,  pp.  54-79. 
Contains  notes  and  records  from  thirteen  New  Jersey  stations. 

1908.  TROTTER,  SPENCER.    Type  Birds  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania  and 
New  Jersey.    Cassinia,  1907,  pp.  17-27. 

1908.  WEYGANOT,  CORNELIUS.     Some  Birds  of  Brown's  Mills,  K  J. 
Cassinia,  1907,  pp.  6-16. 

1908.  BROWN,  CLARENCE.    A  Winter  Rose-breasted  Grosbeak.    Bird 
Lore,  p.  82. 

At  Rutherford,  N.  J.,  January  26th-February  13th. 

1908.  CLARKE,  W.  G.    A  Family  of  Great  Owls.    Bird  Lore,  pp.  99- 
102. 

Barred  Owls  at  Schraalenburgh,  N.  J. 

1908.  DEWITT,  EDMUND.     A  Purple  Martin's  House.     Forest  and 
Stream,  April  4th,  p.  592. 
At  Lawrenceville,  N.  J. 

1908.  HARLOW,  E.  C.    Virginia  Eail  and  Kentucky  Warbler  in  New 
Jersey.    Auk,  p.  218. 

Kentucky  Warbler  at  Manahawkin,  July  3d,  1904,  and  May  21st,  1907. 

1908.  HOWE,  E.  H.    Ardea  egretta  in  New  Jersey.    Auk,  p.  473. 

1908.  HUNT,  C.  J.    The  Kentucky  Warbler  in  Southern  New  Jersey. 
Auk,  p.  87. 
Pensauken. 

1908.  MILLER,  E.  F.    The  Black  Tern  at  Camden,  N.  J.,  and  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.    Auk,  p.  215. 


THE  BIRDS  OF  NEW  JERSEY.  345 

1908.  OCEAN.     Black  Ducks  Breeding  in  New  Jersey.     Forest  and 
Stream,  October  24th,  p.  652. 
Several  pairs  on  Barnegat  Bay. 

1908.  OLDYS,  HENRY.    Capture  of  a  Tagged  Canvasback  Duck.    Auk, 
p.  80. 

Manahawkin  Bay. 

1908.  STONE,  WITHER.     Methods  of  Recording  and  Utilizing  Bird 
Migration  Data.    Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  Phila.,  pp.  128-156. 
Based  partly  on  New  Jersey  records. 

1908.  STONE,  WITHER.     European  Starlings   (Sturnus  vulgaris)  in 
Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey  and  Delaware.    Auk,  p.  221. 

1908.  STONE,  WITHER.     The  Life  Areas  of  Southern  New  Jersey. 
Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.f  Phila.,  pp.  452-459. 

1908.  VON  LENGERKE,  J.    Migration  of  Hawks.    Auk,  July,  p.  315. 
Stagg  Lake,  Sussex  county. 

1908.  WOODRUFF,  E.  S.    Another  capture  of  a  Tagged  Duck.    Auk, 
April,  p.  216. 

Redhead  at  Beach  Haven. 

1909.  BRAISLIN,  DR.  W.  C.     A  List  of  the  Birds  Observed  on  the 
Barnegat  Region  of  the  New  Jersey  Coast  in  August,  1908.    Cos- 
sinia,  1908,  pp.  41-44. 

1909.  DELAWARE  VALLEY  ORNITHOLOGICAL  CLUB,  Abstract  of  Pro- 
ceedings, 1908.    Cassinia,  1908,  pp.  67-71. 

1909.  HARLOW,  R.  C.    The  Little  Blue  Heron  in  New  Jersey.    Auk, 
p.  189. 

1909.  HARLOW,  R.  C.    The  Yellow  Rail  at  Salem,  New  Jersey.    Auk, 
p.  190. 

1909.  HOWE,  R.  H.,  JR.    A    Curious  Influx  of  Southern  Herons  to 
New  Jersey.    Auk,  p.  76. 
Ardea  coerulea  at  Sea  Bright. 


346   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

1909.  HUNT,  C.  J.    Some  Birds  of  a  Maurice  River  Farm.    Cassinia, 
1908,  pp.  14-19. 
New  Jersey. 

1909.  MOORE,  R.  T.    Three  Finds  in  South  Jersey.     Cassinia,  1908, 
pp.  29-40. 

Nests  of  Marsh  Hawk,  Black  Duck  and  Pine  Warbler. 

1909.  STONE,  WITHER.     Bird  Life  at  Catoxen.     Cassinia,  1908,  pp. 
25-28. 

Medford,  N.  J. 

1909.  STONE,  WITHER.     Report  on  the  Spring  Migration  of  1908. 
Cassinia,  1908,  pp.  45-64. 


Glossary  of  Technical  Terms 


Abdomen.    The  belly. 

Auriculars.     Feathers  covering  the  ear. 

Axillaries.  Rather  elongated  feathers  growing  from  near  the  juncture  of  the 
wing  and  the  body,  seen  only  when  the  wing  is  raised. 

Cere.    The  naked  skin  surrounding  the  nostrils  in  Hawks,  Pigeons,  etc. 

Crissum.    The  lower  tail-coverts. 

Coverts.  Small  feathers  covering  the  upper  and  middle  part  of  the  wing  and 
upper  and  under  part  of  the  tail. 

Culmen.    The  ridge  or  keel  of  the  upper  mandible. 

Ear-coverts.    Fine  feathers  overlying  the  ear  opening. 

Ear-tufts.  Erectile  tufts  of  feathers  on  each  side  of  the  forehead  as  in  the 
owls.  They  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  ears. 

Gape.    The  opening  of  the  mouth. 

Gonys.    The  keel  of  the  lower  mandible  from  the  tip  to  where  it  branches. 

T nter scapulars.     Feathers  of  the  back ;    between  the  shoulders. 

Lore.    The  space  between  the  eye  and  the  bill. 

Malar  region.     Side  of  the  lower  jaw  behind  the  bill. 

Mantle.  Back,  scapulars  and  wings  of  Gulls  and  some  other  birds  in  which 
this  area  is  peculiarly  colored. 

Mandible.    The  jaw. 

Nape.    Upper  portion  of  the  hind  neck. 

Nasal.    Pertaining  to  the  nostrils. 

Nuchal.    Pertaining  to  the  nape. 

Occipital.    Pertaining  to  the  back  part  of  the  head. 

Primaries.  The  quill  feathers  that  grow  from  the  hand  or  outer  section  of 
the  wing,  usually  nine  or  ten  in  number. 

Primary  coverts.  Smaller  stiff  feathers  immediately  overlying  the  base  of  the 
primaries. 

Rectrix.    One  of  the  long  tail  feathers  of  a  bird. 

Remex.    A  primary  or  secondary  of  the  bird's  wing. 

Rictal.    Pertaining  to  the  corner  of  the  mouth  or  gape. 

Rump.    That  part  of  the  lower  back  immediately  above  the  upper  tail-coverts. 

Scapular  region.    A  longitudinal  band  of  feathers  on  each  side  of  the  back. 

Secondaries.  The  long  stiff  quill  feathers  growing  from  the  forearm  or  second 
section  of  the  wing. 

Speculum.    The  bright-colored  patch  on  a  duck's  wing. 

Superciliary.    Above  the  eye. 

Tarsus.  The  (usually  bare  horny)  part  of  the  bird's  leg  between  the  toes 
and  the  heel  joint.  Really  part  of  the  foot  rather  than  the  leg. 

Tertials.  The  three  innermost  secondaries  which  are  usually  graduated  and 
differently  colored  from  the  others. 

Vermiculated.    Marked  with  irregular  fine  lines. 

(347) 


PART  III. 


Notes  on  New  Jersey  Fishes, 
Amphibians  and  Reptiles 


By  HENRY  W.  FOWLER, 

Of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  of  Philadelphia. 


(349) 


i.     Notes  on   New  Jersey  Fishes. 


This  account  is  a  record  of  my  observations  made  during  the  past 
season,  together  with  such  information  as  I  have  been  able  to  gather 
from  apparently  reliable  sources.  Several  recent  additions  to  the 
fauna  are  here  noted.  Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer,  of  Trenton,  and  Dr.  K.  J. 
Phillips,  of  Philadelphia,  have  kindly  furnished  me  with  some  interest- 
ing notes. 

Family   PETROMYZONID-ffi. 

Petromyzon  marinus  Linnaeus. 
Lamprey.     Lamper.    Lamper  Eel. 

Mr.  Emlen  Martin  reports  a  large  example  about  three  feet  long 
taken  in  the  Eancocas  Creek,  at  Centerton,  Burlington  county,  during 
the  spring  of  1908. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer  says  that  at  Trenton  and  below,  in  the  Dela- 
ware, they  would  formerly  appear  in  spring  and  early  summer  in  all 
the  shad  and  herring  fisheries.  They  attached  themselves  to  shad, 
herring  or  carp,  removing  the  scales  at  the  point  of  attachment  to 
rasp  off  the  flesh  and  thus  be  enabled  to  suck  the  blood.  Fish  so  at- 
tacked soon  become  weak,  and  often  an  infested  shad  has  been  seen 
swimming  laboriously  behind  the  main  school.  On  one  occasion  a 
shad  with  two  rather  small  lampreys  of  about  nine  or  ten  inches  in 
length,  one  dangling  from  each  opercle,  was  seen  swimming  in  this 
way.  The  young  do  not  seem  to  be  known  or  be  used  by  the  fishermen. 
Lampreys  run  in  the  tributary  creeks  or  smaller  streams  in  the  spring 
and  early  summer  to  spawn.  Large  ones,  reaching  four  or  five  pounds 
in  weight,  were  met  with,  and  when  about  their  nesting  were  very 
pugnacious,  viciously  attempting  the  defensive,  though  harmless. 
Lampreys  were  not  used  as  food  by  the  fishermen. 

(351) 


352        REPORT  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Family   CARCHARIID-ffi. 

Carcharias  littoralis  (Mitchill). 
Sand  Shark. 

A  large  shark,  about  eight  feet  long,  evidently  this  species,  was 
reported  late  in  August  of  1908  by  Mr.  W.  J.  Fox,  from  Sea  Isle  City. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer  reports  a  shark,  very  likely  this  species,  as 
having  been  taken  in  the  Delaware  River  many  years  ago,  about  1848. 
It  was  taken  at  Fisher's  Point  (Fish  House  now,  or  its  vicinity,  and 
in  Camden  county)  and  brought  to  Trenton,  and  there  kept  on  exhibi- 
tion in  the  flesh  some  time  after.  It  was  said  to  have  measured  eight 
feet  seven  inches  in  length. 

Dr.  R.  J.  Phillips  reported  a  large  shark,  evidently  this  species,  and 
about  seven  feet  long,  taken  at  Corson's  Inlet,  in  Cape  May  county, 
on  August  10th,  1908.  When  opened  it  was  said  to  contain  a  sea 
robin  (Prionotus)  and  five  spots  (Leiostom-us) . 

Family   SPHYBNID-ffi. 

Sphyrna  zygaena   (Linnaeus). 
Hammer  Head  Shark. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  he  saw  a  hammer  head  about  eighteen  inches 
long,  at  Corson's  Inlet,  early  in  August  of  1908. 

Family   RAJID-flS. 

Raja  eglanteria  LacSpfcde. 
Common  Speckled  Skate. 

Skates,  evidently  this  species,  as  they  are  said  to  be  of  small  size 
with  pointed  snouts,  were  reported  by  Dr.  Phillips  to  be  common  at 
Corson's  Inlet.  A  small  and  partly-digested  skate  was  once  found  in 
the  stomach  of  a  red  drum  (Scicenops)  when  opened. 


NOTES  ON  NEW  JEESEY  FISHES.  353 

Raja   laevis  Mitchill. 
Barn  Door  Skate. 

Dr.  Abbott  tells  me  that  the  skate  he  reported  in  1868  under  this 
name  was  taken  in  the  Delaware,  somewhere  in  the  vicinity  of  Beverly, 
in  Burlington  county,  and  was  later  exhibited  in  Trenton. 

Family   DASYATID.3S. 

Dasyatis  centroura  (Mitchill). 
Sting  Ray. 

Two  examples,  most  likely  this  species,  were  reported  taken  at  Cor- 
son's  Inlet  during  the  past  summer,  according  to  Dr.  Phillips. 

Family   ACIPENSERIDJE. 

Acipenser  sturio  Linnaeus. 
Sturgeon. 

In  Raccoon  Creek,  at  Bridgeport,  Gloucester  county,  reported  scarce 
by  the  fishermen,  and  but  few  taken  now. 

Mr.  H.  Walker  Hand  reports  that  the  fishermen  were  meeting  with 
much  better  success  off  Green  Creek,  Cape  May  county,  than  for  sev- 
eral years  past,  during  late  spring  in  1908.  At  Dias  Creek  one  of  the 
fishermen  caught  two  large  roe  sturgeon,  seven  black  drums  and 
five  hundred  pounds  of  weakfish  on  April  27th,  it  being  the  first  lift 
of  the  pound-nets  for  the  spring. 

I  saw  two  large  examples  taken  at  Pennsgrove,  Salem  county,  in 
the  Delaware,  on  July  22d,  1908. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer  says  the  sturgeon  ascends  the  Delaware 
River  at  Trenton  in  the  spring  when  the  water  begins  to  warm,  after 
the  breaking  up  of  the  ice.  They  move  up  in  small-sized  schools  or 
bunches  of  a  dozen  or  more  on  the  new  moon,  afterwards  dropping 
back.  The  buck  is  smaller  than  the  sow,  which  weighs  from  fifty  to 

23 


354   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds.    They  deposit  in  the  rapids  on  gravel 
bars,  and  at  times  the  sexes  are  rather  polyandrous,  as  many  as  a 
dozen  males  accompanying  a  single  female.    On  one  such  occasion  the 
anxious  bucks  were  seen  swimming  nervously  about  and  around  an 
indisposed  sow.    As  she  did  not  seem  to  accept  their  attentions,  some 
were  seen  to  move  off  and  then  swim  rapidly  at  her,  striking  their 
noses,  one  or  more  at  a  time,  against  her  sides,  so  that  the  ova  were 
literally  forced  out.    At  the  same  time  the  milt  was  expelled  and  the 
ova  fertilized  en  masse.     Sturgeon  seldom  jump  when  ascending  the 
river,  as  they  are  then  vigorous,  and  seemingly  have  the  requisite 
amount  of  air.     But  after  spawning  their  condition  is  weakened,  ap- 
pearing lazy,   or  often  as   over-sleepy,   or  becoming  feverish,   lying 
around  on  the  bottom,  and  it  is  then  that  they  frequently  jump  for 
air.     Of  many  individuals  opened,  none  were  ever  found  to  contain 
any  food,  unless  it  may  have  been  invisible  to  the  naked  eye  or  micro- 
scopic.    Formerly  sturgeon  fishing  was  carried  on  by  spearing — that 
is,  before  nets  were  used.    This  was  accomplished  either  at  night  with 
a  light  or  during  the  day.     The  sturgeon  could  usually  be  readily 
located,  as  when  dropping  down  stream  they  all  move  down  tail  first 
with  the  current,  though  the  instant  tfreir  tails  would  strike  anything, 
such  as  a  rock  or  log,  they  would  immediately  start  up  stream  again, 
thus  leaving  a  wake  most  always  discernable  at  the  surface.     It  was 
by  means  of  this  wake  that  the  fish  were  located.     They  would  then 
repeat   their   downward   course   until   again   feeling  an   obstruction. 
The  fishermen  believed  that  this  method  of  descending  tail  first  was 
to  avoid  the  contact  of  the  rocks  and  the  snout,  the  latter  being  some- 
what sensitive  and  capable  of  being  easily  bruised.     The  harpoon  or 
barb  was  sometimes  thrown  free,  or  fastened  to  a  rope,  the  latter 
method,  of  course,  necessitating  careful  management  in  a  boat,  as  a 
large  sturgeon  could  tow  it  at  good  speed.     The  exhausted  fish  were 
finally  hooked  into  the  boat. 


Acipenser  brevi rostrum  Le  Sueur. 
Mouche. 

According  to  the  fishermen  at  Bridgeport,  in-  lower  Raccoon  Creek, 
Gloucester  county,  the  "mouche"  is  said  to  be  very  scarce.  They  dis- 
tinguish it  chiefly  by  its  small  size,  which  is  said  not  to  exceed  three 
feet. 


NOTES  ON  NEW  JERSEY  FISHES.  355 

Mr.  .!.  I).  Yanderveer  says  this  fish  seems  to  he  well  known  to  the 
DC  law  n  r;1  River  fishermen,  who  claim  it  differs  from  the  common 
sturgeon  in  having  full-developed  milt  and  ova  when  twelve  inches 
lonir:  that  it  seldom  or  never  reaches  over  three  feet  in  length;  is 
mostly  transparent  when  held  to  the  light,  while  the  common  stur- 
geon is  solid  and  not  at  all  transparent;  that  the  bony  dorsal  bucklers 
appear  to  differ,  and  that  its  snout  is  always  blunt,  even  when  small, 
while  that  of  the  common  sturgeon  is  sharp  when  young,  though 
hi unt  only  with  age.  The  flesh  is  very  highly  prized  about  Trenton, 
and  the  fish  was  known  locally  as  the  "Delaware  salmon."  Fishermen 
say  that  this  species  makes  but  a  single  run  in  the  spring,  and  that 
on  one  moon,  generally  the  full  moon  in  April  or  late  March.  This 
fish  is  mostly  called  the  mouche  to  distinguish  it  from  the  common 
sturgeon. 

Family    CLUPEID-ffi. 

Pomolobus  mediocris   (Mitchill). 
Hickory  Shad. 

Reported  by  fishermen  to  Dr.  Phillips  as  occurring  at  Corson's  Inlet. 

Pomolobus  pseudoharengus  (Wilson)*. 
Alewife. 

In  Raccoon  Creek,  at  Bridgeport,  Gloucester  county,  the  "moon  eye" 
is  said  by  the  fishermen  to  arrive  late  in  May  with  the  next.  Many 
have  been  taken  in  the  creek  at  times  and  they  are  valued  as  food. 

Mr.  Emlen  Martin  says  they  run  in  the  Rancocas  Creek  as  far  as 
Hainesport,  Burlington  county.  They  arrive  later  than-  the  shad,  or 
about  the  middle  of  May. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer,  of  Trenton,  says  that  the  alewife  still  ascends 
the  Delaware  in  the  spring  in  great  numbers,  and  formerly  in  countless 
thousands,  being  the  object  of  extensive  fisheries  for  many  years. 
They  are  the  first  herring  to  appear,  and  come  with  the  shad,  or  a 
little  later.  They  appear  usually  in  April,  fully  four  weeks  in  most 
seasons  before  the  "black  belly,"  though  some  have  been  taken  as  early 
as  February.  Though  the  fishermen  admit  that  their  ascension  is 


356    REPORT  OF  XEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

largely  due  to  the  spawning  instinct,  yet  they  argue  that  the  food  sup- 
ply ever  plays  the  dominant  part  in  their  habits.  What  this  food 
they  speak  of  is.,  is  not  clear,  but  may  perhaps  be  microscopic  plant  or 
animal  life  contained  in  the  water,  as  all  the  shad  and  herring  ascend- 
ing in  the  spring,  and  many  hundreds  h*ive  been  examined,  are  found 
apparently  empty.  However,  as  they  think  it  moves  about  in  large 
areas  in  the  water,  either  deep  or  at  the  surface,  and  is  variously 
influenced  by  the  tides,  winds  and  rains,  so  the  fish  seem  to  act  in 
accordance.  They  always  seem  to  follow  this  so-called  food,  pushing 
ahead  or  falling  back  as  it  moves.  The  alewife  moves  up  the  river 
in  schools  of  varying  size,  sometimes,  as  formerly,  in  immense  num- 
bers. If  weather  conditions  are  unfavorable,  such  as  protracted  cold, 
they  run  in  the  creeks  where  warmer  water  forming  shallower  places 
affords  them  comfort.  The  fishermen  do  not  believe  they  spawn  to 
any  extent  in  these  places,  unless  land-locked  or  obstructed  in  some 
manner.  They  select  places,  similar  to  those  used  by  the  shad, 
when  depositing,  and  in  this  respect  resemble  them  very  much. 
They  usually  find  a  deep  place,  frequently  of  several  feet,  and  always 
where  the  water  has  a  whirling  or  rotating  motion  or  current,  as  about 
deep  eddies  near  the  rocks  in  the  river.  Such  places  usually  have 
clear  or  clean  bottoms,  but  if  not  and  such  a  locality  is  preferred, 
the  fish  will  clean  them  by  brushing  them  with  their  tails  until  only 
the  bare  stones  or  rocks  are  left.  The  fish  assemble  in  schools  in 
these  places,  moving  restlessly  about  together.  The  ova  and  milt  are 
deposited  at  the  same  time,  the  whirling  water  serving  to  thoroughly 
mix  it  as  it  sinks  to  the  bottom  on  the  rocks,  especially  in  pebbles 
or  stones  in  eddies.  The  fish  never  deposit  in  mud.  Sometimes 
the  spawn  may  be  entirely  destroyed  by  protracted  foul  or  muddy 
water,  freshets,  floods,  or  similar  causes.  Like  the  sturgeon,  when 
ascending,  the  alewife  is  vigorous  and  active,  and  appears  to  require 
little  air  from  the  surface,  as  they  seldom  jump.  After  depositing 
and  when  'slipping  down  stream  on  their  return  to  the  sea,  they 
may  frequently  be  observed  to  jump.  This  jump  is  spoken  of  by  tbe 
fishermen  as  the  "rattle,"  which  has  earned  for  them  the  local  name 
of  "rattler."  Indeed,  it  is  claimed,  so  different  are  the  sounds  pro- 
duced by  this  fish,  from  those  of  the  black  belly,  that  they  have 
each  earned  their  vernaculars  from  the  fishermen  by  these  peculiar 
habits  when  rising  to  the  surface  for  air.  The  spent  alewife  ascends 
to  the  surface  of  the  water  abruptly,  producing  a  more  solid  sort  of 
splash,  and  when  descending  the  tail  is  thrown  up  so  that  from 


NOTKS  ON    NKW  .1  HUSKY  FISHES.  357 

the  laterally  vibrated  strokes  near  the  surface  a  kind  of  rippling 
oi-  rattling  splash  is  produced.  Sometimes  over  a  large  area  hun- 
dreds will  be  found  rattling,  every  few  rods  a  wake  appearing  at  the 
sin-face,  and  again  a  dozen  may  jump  at  once.  As  the  herring 
i^ra dually  develop  from  the  fry  and  reach  a  somewhat  advanced  adoles- 
cent stage,  the  condition  of  taking  food  appears  to  be  different. 
This  is  thought  probably  due  to  the  undeveloped  branchial  apparatus, 
it  not  yet  having  formed  a  fully-developed  sieve  to  capture  the  food 
taken  by  the  adult.  It  is  at  this  stage  that  they  will  devour  most 
any  aquatic  insect  or  small  invertebrate,  and  only  then  may  they  be 
lured  by  the  angler  with  his  fly.  Passing  on  down  the  river  and 
reaching  the  sea  they  develop  gradually  the  adult  conditions  and 
finally  live  in  the  ocean.  The  prevalent  theory  of  the  fishermen 
seems  to  be  that  the  fish  follow  the  current  of  the  Delaware  basin 
out  into  the  Gulf  Stream,  where  they  may  obtain  suitable  food. 
They  also  think  that  there  is  probably  more  southern  migration, 
and  that  in  the  following  spring  the  ascending  herring  enter  the 
bays  and  rivers  as  the  suitable  food  lures  them  on.  This  herring  is 
variously  called  by  the  fishermen  alewife,  alewi,  bulger  or  rattler. 

Although  I  have  not  taken  them  myself,  they  have  been  taken  on 
Burlington  Island  in  the  Delaware  and  have  been  reported  to  run 
in  the  small  guts  sometimes  in  the  spring. 


Pomolobus  sestivalis    (Mitchill). 
Black  Bellied  Herring. 

The  "black  back"  is  sometimes  numerous  in  Raccoon  Creek,  at 
Bridgeport,  Gloucester  count}-,  according  to  the  fishermen.  It  is 
valued  as  food. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer,  of  Trenton,  says  that  this  fish  is  distin- 
guished by  the  fishermen  of  the  Delaware  River  chiefly  by  the  black 
peritoneum  and  its  more  slender  form.  It  ascends  the  river  much 
later  than  the  alewife,  appearing  usually  about  three  weeks  after- 
ward, sometimes  four,  or  near  the  middle  of  or  late  in  May,  accord- 
ing, of  course,  to  conditions.  At  least  it  is  always  conspicuously  later. 
It  appears  sometimes  in  considerable  numbers,  though  it  does  not  seem 
to  be  (jiiite  so  abundant  on  the  whole  as  the  alewife.  When  ascend- 
ing it  is  like  the  alewife,  vigorous  and  apparently  without  need  of 


358    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

ascending  to  the  surface  of  the  water,  for  it  seldom,  if  ever,  rises  there 
unless  possibly  for  food.  It  differs  from  both  the  alewife  and  shad 
in  selecting  shoal  water  to  deposit,  though  never  running  in  the 
creeks  or  small  streams.  They  select  shoals  of  clean  gravel,  often  in 
the  current,  and  there  deposit  their  eggs.  Like  the  alewife,  the 
ova  and  milt  are  deposited  at  once,  and  all  fertilized  together  as  they 
sink  to  the  bottom.  They  never  deposit  in  mud.  Sometimes  quite 
large  schools  are  found  about  the  spawning-grounds.  When  spent 
and  thus  weakened  they  frequently  rise  to  the  surface  of  the  water 
for  air  in  their  downward  course  in  the  river  to  the  sea.  They  differ 
in  their  movements  at  the  surface  from  the  alewife  at  this  time,  and 
are  said  to  "flip"  by  the  fishermen,  the  name  having  been  suggested 
doubtless  by  the  noise  or  sound  produced.  They  will  ascend  to  the 
surface  for  air  and  suddenly  turn,  and  in  the  downward  course  the 
impetus  of  the  tail  at  the  surface  produces  a  single  sharp  slapping 
sound  called  the  "flip."  Hence  the  fishermen  call  them  flippers.  Like 
shad  and  alewives,  nothing  has  been  found  in  the  stomachs  of  the 
many  examples  examined,  except,  possibly  microscopic  animal  life 
not  seen  by  the  naked  eye.  Later,  as  they  develop  near  the  adult  con- 
dition, though  with  imperfect  branchial  apparatus,  they  feed  like  the 
alewife  and  may  then  also  be  taken  on  a  fly.  Called  rail  herrin, 
black  belly  or  flipper  locally  by  the  fishermen. 


Alosa  sapidissima    (Wilson). 
Shad. 

A  curious  hermaphrodite  of  this  species,  in  which  milt  and  roe  were 
about  equally  developed,  was  taken  in  the  Delaware  during  late  March 
of  1908  and  brought  to  Camden.  The  organs  are  of  the  usual  type  of 
the  milt  and  roe,  only  the  anterior  portion  of  each  is  characteristic  of 
the  milt  alone,  the  posterior  being  the  roe.  This  example  was  secured 
by  Mr.  J.  B.  Fine. 

A  number  were  reported  to  have  been  taken  during  spring  runs  in 
the  tidewater  of  Raccoon  Creek,  at  Bridgeport,  Gloucester  county. 
They  are  thought  to  be  much  less  abundant  than  formerly,  the  fisher- 
men thinking  the  polluted  river  water  has  acted  as  a  greater  check  to 
their  abundance  in  the  river  than  any  other  cause. 

Mr.  Emlen  Martin  says  that  in  the  catches,  which  numbered  about 


NOTES  OX  NEW  JERSEY  FISHES.  359 

thirty  to  fifty  individuals  during  the  season  of  1908,  most  all  were 
bucks,  but  one  or  two  roes  having  been  taken,  in  the  Rancocas  Creek, 
at  Centerton.  The  largest  seldom  were  over  eight  pounds. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer,  of  Trenton,  says  that  this  well-known  food- 
iish,  the  most  important  in  this  respect  of  all  our  river  fishes,  our 
fishermen  believe  to  be  far  less  common  than  formerly,  when  the  ex- 
tensive fisheries  netted  unusual  catches.  Unlike  the  herrings,  the 
shad  is  said  to  produce  no  disturbance  at  the  surface  of  the  water 
when  taking  air.  It  ascends  the  river  in  the  spring,  as  soon  as  the 
water  warms  sufficiently,  and  is  at  that  time  vigorous,  and  seemingly 
in  its  upward  course  seldom  or  never  ascends  to  the  surface  of  the 
water  for  air.  Shad  select  such  places  as  the  alewife  use,  and  spawn 
in  a  similar  manner.  They  differ  from  both  of  our  herrings,  how- 
ever, in  that  during  their  descent  or  return  to  the  sea  they  never  make 
any  disturbance  when  rising  to  the  surface  for  air.  Fishermen  think 
this  is  due  to  the  shape  of  the  nose  being  more  produced.  As  the  fry 
develop  they  soon  reach  a  half-grown  size,  when  they  will  devour  most 
all  kinds  of  insects  and  small  aquatic  animals,  and  at  this  season 
may  be  taken  on  a  fty.  When  ascending  the  river,  as  on  one  occa- 
sion at  the  Delaware  River  bridge,  at  Trenton,  the  shadow  of  this 
seemed  to  form  an  impassable  barrier.  To  one  looking  down  from 
above  large  schools  could  all  be  seen  herded  all  along  the  edge  of  the 
dark  shadow,  but  not  a  single  individual  for  an  instant  passing  into 
it.  Finally  a  leader  among  the  fish  appeared,  and  after  swimming 
along  the  shadow  several  times  finally  determined  on  a  point  to  pass 
through,  when  the  whole  multitude  placidly  followed  in  a  narrow 
stream.  The  young  are  capable  of  caring  for  themselves  after  about 
three  moons,  and  are  eagerly  devoured  by  chub,  rock,  perch,  cat  fish, 
etc. 

Dr.  R.  J.  Phillips  has  seen  it  at  Gloucester. 

Reported  to  have  been  taken  in  the  Delaware  at  Burlington  Island. 

At  jSTewbold's  island,  Burlington  county,  many  bright,  silvery 
young  were  found  on  August  13th,  1908.  They  were  about  two  inches 
long.  After  being  in  alcohol  a  short  time  their  backs  were  brilliant 
emerald-green  in  some  lights,  with  a  bright  violet  streak  back  from 
upper  eye  edge  to  caudal  base  above.  They  were  associated  mostly  in 
schools  of  moderate  size,  though  were  often  taken  with  the  other  small 
fishes. 


360    REPORT  OF  XEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Brevoortia  tyrannus   (Latrobe). 
Mossbunker. 

Color,  when  fresh,  of  a  young  example,  deep  steel-plumbeous  to 
slaty,  blackish  or  neutral-blackish  on  back.  Line  of  demarcation  from 
about  level  with  upper  margin  of  eye  to  about  middle  of  base  of  upper 
caudal  lobe  rather  distinct,  and  all  about  with  pale  tints  or  nebula? 
of  pale  indigo.  Rest  of  side  and  entire  lower  surface,  inclusive  of 
lower  surface  of  head  also,  and  iris,  bright  silvery  to  mercury-white. 
Upper  surface  of  head  becoming  pale  and  translucent  grayish  on 
snout  and  front  of  mandible.  All  this  region  also  finely  dotted  with 
dusk}^.  Dorsal  and  caudal  pale  translucent  grayish,  finely  dotted  with 
darker.  Other  fins  pale  translucent  whitish.  Length  2  °/16  inches. 
A  single  example  taken  at  Cor  son's  Inlet  on  January  14th,  1908,,  in  a 
hauling-seine.  W.  J .  Fox  and  D.  McCadden. 

Menhaden  were  so  abundant  in  the  latter  part  of  August,  1908,  that 
they  ran  in  Tuckerton  Creek  and  the  tributaries  of  Little  Egg  Har- 
bor and  Tuckerton  Bay,  so  that  large  numbers  were  captured  for 
fertilizers.  This  was  thought  to  be  due  to  the  blue  fish  forays,  the 
latter  also  running  in  in  numbers,  some  being  taken  inside.  J.  A.  G. 
Rehn. 

Family  DOROSOMATHXffi. 

Dorosoma  cepedianum  (Le  Sueur). 
Gizzard  Shad. 

Several  mud  shad  were  taken  in  Raccoon  Creek,  near  Bridgeport, 
Gloucester  county,  according  to  the  fishermen,  in  March  of  1908. 
They  are  not  valued  in  any  way. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderyeer,  of  Trenton,  says  they  occur  mostly  in  muddy 
ponds  and  in  some  instances  have  been  taken  in  such  places  by  the 
boat-load.  Though  of  no  use  as  a  food -fish,  they  have  been  sold  as 
"bitter  heads"  or  "poor  soles,"  as  low-grade  fish.  They  are  not  a 
very  hardy  species,  and  resort  to  the  mud  in  cold  weather,  where  they 
stay  all  winter.  They  feed  on  the  ends  of  decayed  channel  grass  or 
candocks  in  winter.  In  warm  weather  they  take  their  prey  at  the  sur- 
face of  the  water  like  a  small  rock,  and  will  then  also  take  a  hook 


NOTES  OX  NEW  JERSEY  FISHES.  361 

baited  with  a  worm.  They  will  also  take  small  fish.  They  deposit, 
unlike  their  relatives,  in  the  mud.  The  female  is  much  larger  and 
more  chunky  than  the  male.  Called  gizzard  shad,  gizzard  fish  and 
mud  shad  by  the  river  fishermen. 

Reported  to  have  been  taken  in  the  Delaware  at  Burlington  Island. 


Family  ENGRAULIDID^E. 

Anchovia  brownii   (Gmelin). 
Broad  Banded  Anchovy. 

Dr.  R.  J.  Phillips  reports  anchovies  about  three  inches  long  which 
were  rather  abundant  at  Corson's  Inlet  this  past  summer.  They 
were  taken  for  bait  by  the  fishermen,  who  knew  them  as  "pink 
white  bait.'7 

Family   ARGENTINID-ffi. 

Osmerus  mordax   (Mitchill). 

Smelt. 

A  number  were  taken  in  the  Delaware  River  at  Trenton  in  early 
April  of  1908,  according  to  Mr.  Vanderveer.  He  says  they  are  taken 
by  hook  and  line  fishermen  in  late  spring  and  early  summer,  mostly 
in  May  and  till  the  middle  of  June.  They  run  in  the  little  inlets 
later,  but  do  not  leave  the  tidewater,  and  are  often  seen  in  some 
numbers  about  the  sewer  outlets.  They  bed  in  deep  water  in  muddy 
bottoms,  in  winter. 

Family   ANGUILLID^. 

Anguilla  chrisypa  Rafinesque. 
Eel. 

Found  in  Repaupo  Creek,  near  Repaupo,  in  the  Delaware  basin  of 
Gloucester  county,  April  19th,  1908. 

Reported  abundant  in  Raccoon  Creek  at  Bridgeport,  Gloucester 
county.  ()m>  seen  about  thirty  inches  long  on  April  19th,  1908. 


362   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Transparent  young  found  in  Sluice  Creek,  a  tributary  of  Dennis 
Creek,  above  the  "beaver  dam,"  Cape  May  county,  on  May  10th,  1908. 
Fishermen  reported  that  quite  large  ones  are  taken  at  times. 

Several  small  or  half -grown  ones  were  found  about  the  more  muddy 
places  and  under  stones  on  Newbold's  Island,  Burlington  county,  on 
August  13th,  1908. 

Dr.  Phillips  found  it  at  Corson's  Inlet,  reaching  about  two  and  one- 
half  feet. 

Found  on  Burlington  Island  in  June  of  1902. 


Family   LEPTOCEPHALID^E. 

Leptocephalus  conger  (Linnaeus). 
Conger  Eel. 

According  to  Dr.  Phillips,  the  fishermen  report  it  as  occurring  off 
Corson's  Inlet. 

Family    CYPRINIDJE. 

Hybognathus  nuchal  is  regius   (Girard). 
Silvery  Minnow. 

Abundant  in  the  Delaware  River,  near  Florence,  Burlington  county, 
on  July  llth,  1908.  They  were  mostly  small,  and  not  associated  with 
other  fishes,  swimming  in  rather  large  schools  just  a  little  off  shore. 

This  was  abundant  in  the  Delaware  River,  at  Newbold's  Island, 
Burlington  county,  on  August  13th,  1908.  They  occurred  in  some 
places  in  small  schools,  appearing  not  to  associate  very  much  with  the 
other  fishes,  and  usually  were  found  about  the  clearer,  clean,  sandy 
shallows  or  shores.  One  very  large  or  adult  example  was  secured,  and 
all  exhibited  the  usual  silvery-white  coloration,  none  being  brassy. 

I  have  found  this  species  several  times  in  the  Delaware,  about  Bur- 
lington Island. 


XOTKS  ON    NKAV  JERSEY  FISHES.  363 

Semotilus  bullaris  Rafinesque. 

Chub. 

Color  when  fresh  with  back  and  upper  surface  of  head,  deep  steel- 
blue,  greenish  reflections  seen  in  certain  lights.  Edges  of  scales  at 
pockets,  with  deep  neutral-black  tints  forming  continuous  reticulated 
pattern  till  well  down  middle  of  sides.  Under  surface  of  body  opaque 
silvery- white.  Sides  of  head  with  a  brilliant  deep  rosy-red  or  ver- 
milion tinge.,  fading  paler  and  whitish  below.  Entire  side  of  body 
with  deep  rosy-red  tinge,  intense  in  life.  Snout  olivaceous-brown. 
Cheeks  intense  scarlet.  Iris  bright  orange,  with  narrow  ring  around 
slaty  pupil  lighter  and  apparently  better  defined.  A  dark  neutral 
streak  around  origin  of  squamous  area  on  post-occipital  and  nuchal 
region.  Dorsal  olivaceous,  with  warm  orange  tints,  and  becoming 
bright  vermilion  at  base  of  fin.  Caudal  ochraceous-olive,  radii  around 
outer  portions  more  neutral  tint.  Shoulder  girdle  with  bright  orange- 
vermilion  tinge.  Pectoral  brilliant  orange-vermilion,  deepest  inside, 
and  upper  margin  narrowly  dusky.  Ventral  paler,  orange-vermilion 
medianly,  without  dusky.  Anal  pale  orange  medianly,  with  whitish 
around  margins.  Length  eleven  and  one-half  inches.  This  example 
was  taken  in  the  Delaware,  at  Trenton,  April  4th,  1908,  and  for- 
warded to  me  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer  and  Dr.  C.  C.  Abbott.  I 
was  very  glad  to  have  this  opportunity  of  examining  this  fish  in  high 
coloration.  Though  no  tubercles  w^ere  present  on  the  upper  surface  of 
the  head,  I  have  seen  adult  breeding-males  which  were  so  furnished. 
These  large  chubs  are  taken  with  the  suckers,  and  as  they  will  all 
live  some  time  in  captivity,  find  a  ready  sale  among  the  Jewish  popu- 
lation. Dr.  Abbott  first  described  this  species  from  our  limits  many 
years  ago.1  Very  shortly  after  his  elucidation,  and  the  application  of 
the  name  Cyprinus  corporalis  Mitchill  to  it,  a  step  which  has  since,  to 
a  great  extent,  been  thought  justified  by  later  writers,  Cope  set  aside 
and  renamed  the  fish  Leucosomus  rhotheus,2  besides  rejecting 
Rafinesque's  generic  name  Semotilus.  Cope  is  also  credited  with 
having  stated  that  there  were  apparent  inaccuracies  in  Dr.  Abbott's 
description  of  color,  and  without  living  specimens  a  correction  could 
not  be  made,  but  its  general  appearance  when  drawn  from  the  water, 

1  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Phila.',  1861,  p.  154. 

2  L.  C.,  p.  523. 


364   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

as  far  as  recollected,  was  silvery,  without  spots  or  bands.  These 
remarks  are  hardly  justified  at  all  by  my  own  observations,  as  Dr. 
Abbott's  fish  was  a  fully-developed  breeding-male.  These  are  most 
certainly  as  gorgeously  attired  as  described  by  himself  long  ago  and 
in  my  notes  above.  At  other  times  of  the  year  the  chub,  it  is  true,  is 
silvery,  but  more  especially  when  young.  The  spots  and  bands 
referred  to  are  to  some  extent  evanescent,  diffuse  or  variable,  and 
sometimes  appear  more  intense  than  at  others,  though  never  much 
more  than  obsolete  tints  at  best.  Mr.  Vanderveer  says  that  the 
chub  often  feeds  on  the  little  bits  of  vegetation  which  sometimes 
float  to  the  surface,  after  a  school  of  suckers  have  been  browsing 
about  and  dragging  the  plants  from  the  bottom.  At  such  times  it 
would  be  comparatively  easy  to  locate  them  by  the  disturbance  at  the 
surface  of  the  water,  when  they  were  readily  captured. 

Occasionally  taken  in  the  tidewater  of  Raccoon  Creek,  near  Bridge- 
port, Gloucester  county,  during  warm  weather.  They  are  said  to  reach 
but  a  moderate  size  and  are  not  especially  valued. 

Mr.  Vanderveer  says  that  in  the  Delaware  near  Trenton  in  winter 
and  spring,  sometimes  browsing  suckers  will  disturb  the  channel 
grass  by  pushing  about  among  it  and  thus  little  decayed  ends  will 
float  to  the  surface.  These  ends  will  then  form  a  tempting  lure  to  the 
chub,  and  the  little  disturbance  at  the  water's  surface  indicating  to 
the  fishermen  the  condition  below  so  that  a  profitable  haul  may  be 
made.  Sometimes  both  chubs  and  suckers  were  taken  in  this  way. 
The  tail  of  the  chub  produces  but  a  little  wake  as  he  swims  near  the 
surface.  Chubs  are  cannibals,  eating  their  own  kind,  fish-spawn,  and 
insects.  The  latter  they  always  take  with  a  break  at  the  surface. 
They  grow  rapidly  in  warm  weather,  or  till  the  water  cools.  In 
winter  they  lurk  about  deep  holes  with  hard  bottoms.  They  readily 
take  dough-bait.  In  size  they  reach  a  weight  of  about  two  and  one- 
half  to  three  pounds  and  a  maximum  length  of  about  twenty  inches. 


Abramis  crysoleucas   (Mitchill). 
Roach. 

Young  very  abundant  in  large  schools  associated  with  Notropis 
chalybceus  in  Still  Run,  near  Porchtown,  this  one  of  the  head-waters 
of  the  Maurice  River  in  Gloucester  county.  They  were  not  so  darkly- 


NOTKS  OX    XK\V  JKRSEY  FISHES.  365 

colored  as  usual  in  cedar-stained  streams,  and  were  only  found  in 
sheltered  quiet  places  along  shore  April  17th,  1908. 

Reported  to  be  frequently  taken  in  Sluice  Creek,  tributary  of  Den- 
nis Creek,  in'  Cape  May  Bounty. 

About  Trenton  Mr.  J.  B.  Vandervecr  finds  the  roach  more  of  a 
creek  or  pond  fish,  and,  when  found  in  the  rivar,  usually  about  chan- 
nel grass.  He  found  it  reached  a  length  of  about  seven  inches. 

Abundant  in  the  lower  tidal  of  the  Assiscunk  Creek,  near  Burling- 
ton, on  September  loth,  1908.  An  adult  about  five  inches  long  had 
very  pale  yellow  lower  fins.  The  young  very  abundant  in  all  the  still 
muddy  shallows,  swimming  rather  slowly  about  in  scattered  schools. 
Disturbing  or  making  the  water  muddy  did  not  appear  to  especially 
inconvenience  them. 

Small  examples  taken  on  Burlington  Island  in  June  of  1902,  and 
larger  ones  seen  later. 

Notropis  bifrenatus   (Cope). 
Bridled  Minnow. 

An  unusually  yellowish  example  was  seined  in  the  Delaware  River 
near  Florence,  Burlington  county,  on  July  llth,  1908. 
Found  on  Burlington  Island  by  me. 


Notropis  hudsonius  a  mar  us   (Girard). 
Spot  Tailed  Minnow. 

In  the  Delaware  River  at  Xewbold's  Island,  Burlington  county, 
this  was  the  least  abundant  cyprinoid  on  August  13th,  1908.  It 
associated  with  and  frequented  to  some  extent  the  same  places  as  the 
silver  fin.  The  fry  and  small  examples  were  most  numerous,  but 
few  adults  having  been  secured.  The  caudal  spot,  though  evident, 
was  not  very  vivid. 

I  have  taken  this  fish  in  the  Delaware  at  Burlington  Island. 


366    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Notropis   whipplii    analostanus    (Girard). 
Silver  Fin. 

This  was  the  most  abundant  cyprinoid  in  the  Delaware  along  the 
shores  of  Xewbold's  Island,  Burlington  county,  on  August  13th,  1908. 
Many  young  were  found  in  some  places,  as  along  the  clear,  •  sandy 
banks,  in  veritable  hosts.  The  beautiful  adults,  some  of  which  were 
males,  were  interesting,  as  they  had  entirely  lost  the  breeding-tubercles 
and  satin-white  fin-pigment.  Their  scales,  however,  exhibited  the 
beautiful  reticulated  diamonds  in  the  usual  pattern,  and  the  posterior 
dorsal  membranes  were  marked  distinctly  with  the  characteristic  black 
dorsal  blotch. 

Abundant  in  the  lower  tidal  of  the  Assiscunk  Creek,  near  Burling- 
ton, on  September  15th,  1908.  They  frequented  the  shallows,  but  all 
seen  were  young  or  small  in  size.  They  preferred  the  muddy  shoals 
with  the  retreating  tide,  and  were  seldom  found  associated  with  the 
other  small  fishes.  When  disturbed  in  these  places  they  had  a  curious 
habit  of  skipping  or  jumping  out  of  the  water  in  their  efforts  to  get 
away  quickly.  They  would  frequently  jump  several  inches  in  the  air 
and  skip  a  distance  of  from  a  few  inches  to  a  foot,  in  this  greatly  sug- 
gesting mullets  (Mugil)  as  they  jump  a  cork-line  of  a  seine.  They 
would  all  then  be  enabled  to  reach  deep  water  and  so  escape.  We  did 
not  notice  the  killies  do  this. 

Found  by  me  in  the  Delaware  at  Burlington  Island. 

Notropis  chalybaeus  (Cope). 
Blue  Green  Minnow. 

Very  abundant  in  Still  Run,  near  Porchtown,  upper  basin  of  the 
Maurice  River,  in  Gloucester  county,  April  17th,  1908.  They  were 
without  breeding-dress,  lacking  tubercles  or  orange  pigment.  Both 
this  and  Abrcunis  crysoleucas,  with  which  they  were  associated,  were 
preyed  on  by  the  pike  which  were  constantly  darting  into  the  schools, 
seizing  a  victim  and  as  quickly  returning  to  their  original  point  of 
vantage.  None  of  the  minnows  were  of  the  dark  cedar-stained  type 
found  in  other  lowland  streams.  Small  or  young  examples  were 
numerous. 


NOTES  OX    XKW  JERSEY  FISHES.  367 

Cyprinus  carpio  Linnaeus. 
Carp. 

Abundant  about  Bridgeport  in  Raccoon  Creek,  Gloucester  county. 
Raised  in  carp  ponds  for  market. 

Family  CATOSTOMID^E. 

Erimyzon  sucetta  oblongus  (Mitchill). 

• 
Chub  Sucker. 

One  small  example  taken  in  a  school  of  minnows  in  Still  Run,  one 
of  the  headwaters  of  the  Maurice  River  near  Porchtown,  Gloucester 
county,  on  April  17th,  1908. 

Reported  common,  and  usually  found  in  summer  by  the  fishermen 
at  Bridgeport,  in  Raccoon  Creek,  Gloucester  county. 

Reported  in  the  ditches  or  runs  on  Burlington  Island. 

Catostomus  commersonnii   (Lacep&de). 
White   Sucker. 

Taken  in  the  Delaware  River  at  Trenton  early  in  April  of  1901 
with  the  chub  and  smelt.  They  are  sold  to  the  Jews,  according  to 
Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer.  The  river  fishermen  distinguish  several  kind?. 
The  sand  sucker  is  described  as  mostly  dull  yellowish,  and  this 
color  encircling  most  all  the  body  except  a  narrow  whitish  median 
ventral  or  abdominal  stripe.  It  is  said  to  be  rather  shorter,  more 
plump  and  not  much  in  meadows.  They  travel  alone,  all  moving 
up  about  one  time  and  on  one  moon.  Other  suckers,  called  creek 
sucker,  black  sucker  and  gravel  sucker,  may  possibly  refer  to  some 
other  species.  Some  are  said  to  have  the  dorsal  scale  pockets  blackish, 
tho  belly  white,  and  the  body  more  slender.  They  weigh  up  to  four 
and  om-half  pounds,  with  about  fifty  individuals  to  200  pounds. 

Reported  to  be  common  in  Raccoon  Creek  at  Bridgeport,  Gloucester 
county,  in  the  spring. 

Reported  to  occur  on  Burlington  Island. 


368        REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 


Family    SILURID^E. 

Felichthys  marinus   (Mitchill). 
Sea  Cat  Fish. 

Color,  when  fresh,  beautiful  steel  blue-black  on  back  or  upper  sur- 
face, fading  brilliant  mercury-white  on  sides  and  lower  surface.  A 
bluish  sheen  extending  down  whole  length  of  sides.  Under  surface 
of  body  shining  milky-white.  Dorsal  and  caudal  dusk}7,  latter  darker 
towards  edges.  Pectoral  dusky  above,  below  and  inner  edges  dull 
whitish.  Ventral  ano?  anal  dull  whitish,  latter  antero-medianly  pale 
dusky.  Maxillary  barbel  silver-gray,  otherwise  distally  whitish. 
Lower  mental  barbels  whitish.  Edge  of  upper  jaw  gray-white.  Man- 
dible whitish.  Iris  silvery.  Adipose  fin  dusky.  Length  thirteen 
inches.  Sea  Isle  City.  W.  J.  Fox.  August  20th,  1908. 


Ameiurus  catus   (Linnaeus). 
White  Cat  Fish. 

In  Raccoon  Creek,,  at  Bridgeport,  Gloucester  county,  the  white  cat 
is  reported  to  appear  early  in  June,  when  but  few  are  taken. 

Mr.  Emlen  Martin  secured  two  examples  in  the  Rancocas  Creek,  at 
Centerton,  Burlington  county,  in  August,  on  live  minnow  bait.  He 
also  says  that  a  number  were  taken  during  the  spring,  but  that  they 
are  less  abundant  than  the  yellow  cat.  Some  attained  five  or  six 
pounds  in  weight. 

Said  to  run  in  Sluice  Creek,  tributary  of  Dennis  Creek,  in  Cape 
May  county,  to  the  beaver  dam,  but  not  taken  above,  according  to  the 
fishermen. 

A  young  example  was  taken  in  the  Delaware  River,  at  Newbokl's 
Island,  Burlington  county,  on  August  13th,  1908.  It  was  a  pale  livid 
slaty-gray  in  color. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer  says  two  forms  of  forked  tail  cat  fish  occur  in 
the  Delaware,  and  differ  chiefly  in  the  eye  and  coloration.  The  large 
white  cat  fish  is  said  to  deposit  only  when  a  foot  or  more  in  length, 
while  the  "bullhead,"  or  the  smaller  form,  is  said  to  deposit  when 


NOTES  ON  NEW  JERSEY  FISHES.  369 

but  four  inches.  Formerly  the  large  white  cat  was  very  abundant, 
jittpcaring  in  late  May  or  early  June,  according  to  the  weather,  and  on 
either  <i<le  of  the  river,  as  a  long  continuous  procession,  narrow,  but 
of  great  length.  During  their  ascension  they  would  frequently  flip 
like  the  black  belly  herring,  though  the  very  large  ones  usually  ap- 
peared to  move  up  singly  and  seldom  or  never  flip.  The  frequency  of 
their  flipping  very  often  determined  the  extent  of  the  procession,  for 
if  rather  narrow  the  flipping  was  comparatively  less  than  when  the 
procession  was  wide.  These  processions  would  push  away  beyond  tide- 
water into  the  upper  basin  of  the  Delaware  for  many  miles,  their 
object  seemingly  to  feed  on  the  numerous  small  snails  which  swarmed 
in  those  regions.  As  this  source  of  food  seemed  to  decrease  or  disap- 
pear, the  cat  fish  gradually  descended  the  river,  so  that  they  would 
again  reach  Trenton  by  about  July.  As  the  snails  grew,  or  at  least 
seemed  to  be  more  numerous,  the  advent  of  the  cat  fish  was  more 
marked,  the  fish  afterwards  gradually  disappearing.  Sometimes  two 
or  three  runs  would  be  noted  in  June,  when  the  ascension  occurred, 
and  on  one  occasion  many  years  ago  seven  wagonloads  were  taken  in 
a  single  haul.  The  fishermen  think  the  "bullhead"  never  occurs  in 
strings,  but  appears  scattered,  both  when  ascending  and  descending, 
and  it  is  only  found  when  baited.  The  "silver  tail"  moves  off  the 
first  full  moon  in  August.  Bullheads  reach  about  one  to  three  or  four 
pounds  in  weight,  and  though  considered  better  in  the  Susquehanna, 
the  "silver  tail"  is  the  better  fish  in  the  Delaware. 

Reported  to  occur  in  the  Delaware  at  Burlington  Island. 


Ameiurus  nebulosus   (Le  Sueur). 

Yellow  Cat. 

This  species  is  reported  to  be  common  in  Raccoon  Creek  at  Bridge- 
port, Gloucester  county.  A  number,  each  weighing  about  a  pound, 
were  seen  April  19th,  1908. 

Mr.  Emlen  Martin  says  it  is  common  in  the  Rancocas  Creek  at 
Centerton,  Burlington  county. 

Reported  common  in  Sluice  Creek,  tributary  of  Dennis  Creek,  in 
Cape  May  county. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer  says  they  deposit  in  the  Delaware  in  June, 

24 


370   KEPOKT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

and  run  in  the  creeks  and  ponds,  where  they  care  for  their  young. 
In  the  late  summer  they  move  out  into  the  channel  grass  in  the  larger 
streams  to  feed  on  snails,  sometimes  as  late  as  September.  At  times 
twenty  to  one  hundred  pounds  have  been  netted  in  a  single  "set." 
Called  yellow  cat  or  nigger  cat  fish  by  the  fishermen. 
Found  by  me  on  Burlington  Island. 


Family  ESOCHXffi. 

Esox  americanus    (Gmelin). 

Ditch   Pike. 

I  have  found  this  on  Burlington  Island. 

Esox  reticulatus  Le  Sueur. 
Pickerel. 

Abundant  in  the  mill  pond  at  Franklinville,  Gloucester  county, 
basin  of  Little  Ease  Run,  headwaters  of  the  Maurice  River,  April 
17th,  1908. 

Very  abundant,  though  most  all  seen  were  small,  in  the  headwaters 
of  the  Maurice  River  called  Still  Run,  near  Porchtown,  Gloucester 
county,  on  April  17th,  1908. 

A  small  example  seen  at  the  head  of  the  lake  at  Millville,  Maurice 
River,  in  Cumberland  county,  May  9th,  1908. 

Several  young  about  two  inches  long  or  less  were  taken  in  Sluice 
Creek,  above  the  dam,  tributary  of  Dennis  Creek,  in  Cape  May 
county.  Said  to  occur  in  the  lake,  of  rather  large  size,  and  the  only 
species. 

Dr.  R.  J.  Phillips  has  taken  it  at  Palatine  and  Clayton. 


NOTES  OX   XK\V  JERSEY  FISHES.  371 

Family  UMBRID-ffi. 

Umbra  pygmaea   (De  Kay). 

Mud   Minnow. 

Several  small  examples  taken  in  Crooked  Creek  at  Cape  May  Court 
House,  Cape  May  county,  January  5th,  1908. 

Several  large  dark  examples  taken  in  Great  Sound  Creek,  Cape 
May  county,  January  5th,  1908. 

A  small  dark  example  was  found  in  a  quiet  muddy  pool  near  Porch- 
town,  basin  of  Still  Run,  headwaters  of  the  Maurice  River  in  Glou- 
cester county,  on  April  17th,  1908.  It  was  associated  with  a  number 
of  small  tadpoles. 

Several  dark  examples,  one  quite  large,  taken  in  Repaupo  Creek  of 
the  Delaware  basin,  in  Gloucester  county,  April  19th,  1908,  near 
Repaupo. 

Several  taken  in  the  clear  cedar  water  of  Little  Timber  Creek  where 
it  flows  through  a  cedar  swamp  near  Coopers,  Gloucester  county, 
April  19th,  1908. 

In  a  little  choked-up  brook  tributary  to  the  lake  at  Millville, 
Maurice  River  basin,  Cumberland  county,  they  are  abundant,  though 
of  small  size.  All  were  rather  dark,  though  less  so  than  those  taken 
in  the  first  branch  of  the  lake  at  its  head  and  in  the  black  water 
among  the  cedars.  These  latter  fish  were  dusky-black  with  very  dark 
bellies.  May  9th,  1908. 

Several  in  a  sphaguum  bog  along  Sluice  Creek,  tributary  of  Dennis 
Creek,  in  Cape  May  county,  on  May  10th,  1908.  Small  in  size  and 
variably  deep  blackish  in  color. 

Found  by  me  on  Burlington  Island. 


372        REPORT  OF  2sTEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Family  PCECILIID^E. 

Fundulus  majalis   (Walbaum). 
May  Fish. 

Dr.  R.  J.  Phillips  says  it  is  common  at  Corson's  Inlet,  and  the 
female  is  distinguished  as  of  that  sex  by  some  fishermen. 

Locally  abundant  in  the  surf  at  Ocean  City  on  September  10th, 
]908.  The  numerous  adult  females  were  usually  more  abundant  than 
the  males.  Some  of  the  latter  were  in  high  coloration,  head  blackish 
and  anal  long,  etc. 

Fundulus  heteroclitus  macrolepidotus   (Walbaum). 
Mummichog. 

Abundant  in  Crooked  Creek,  Cape  May  county,  on  January  5th, 
1908. 

Abundant  in  Great  Sound  Creek,  Cape  May  county,  on  January 
5th,  1908. 

At  Newbold's  Island,  in  the  Delaware  River,  Burlington  county,  it 
was  quite  abundant  along  the  shallows  of  the  shore  on  August  13th, 
1908,  though  less  so  than  Fundulus  diaplianus.  No  large  ones  were 
found,  and  though  both  sexes  were  distinct  in  their  coloration,  they 
were  of  the  ornatus  type.  The  males  thus  lacked  the  extreme  dark 
color  'with  sulphur-yellow  variegations,  and  the  females  were  a  little 
speckled. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  the  '^bullhead"  is  common  at  Corson's  Inlet, 

Small  or  young  very  abundant  in  the  lower  tidal  of  the  Assiscunk 
Creek,  near  Burlington,  on  September  15th,  1908.  They  were  usu- 
ally associated  with  the  next. 

Very  abundant  on  Burlington  Island. 


NOTES  ON  NEW  JERSEY  FISHES.  373 

Fundulus  diaphanus  (Le  Sueur). 
Barred  Killifish. 

Small  example  taken  in  the  upper  waters  of  Crooked  Creek,  near 
Cape  May  Court  House,  Cape  Ma}7  county,  January  5th,  1908. 

Abundant  in  the  Delaware  River,  near  Florence,  Burlington  county, 
on  July  llth,  1908.  Many  were  males,  and  some  large  females  were 
also  seen,  though  the  former  had  lost  some  of  their  brilliancy. 

The  most  abundant  fish  met  with  along  the  shores  of  Newbold's 
Island,  Burlington  count}',  in  the  Delaware  River,  on  August  13th, 
1908.  Some  were  quite  large  or  full-sized  adults,  and  quite  larger 
than  the  last  species.  These  very  large  examples  were  dull  sandy- 
brown,  with  dull  vertical  bars.  Medium-sized  individuals,  males  with 
faded  breeding-dress,  were  rather  common.  Some  others  were  quite 
small,  though  they  all  retained  but  faint  traces  of  their  former  bril- 
liant yellowish  and  azure  tints.  The  young  were  very  common. 

Very  abundant,  and  reaching  a  larger  size  than  the  preceding,  in 
the  lower  tidal  of  the  Assiscunk  Creek,  near  Burlington,  on  September 
15th,  1908. 

Very  abund'ant  on  Burlington  Island. 

Family    BELONID^E. 

Tylosurus  marinus   (Walbaum). 
Green  Gar. 

One  small  example  found  in  the  Delaware  River,  near  Florence, 
Burlington  county,  on  July  llth,  1908.  Others  of  larger  size  were 
seen. 

In  the  Delaware  River,  at  Newbold's  Island,  Burlington  county,  on 
August  13th,  1908,  several  small  ones  were  taken,  and  some  large  ones 
about  a  foot  in  length  were  seen.  They  were  probably  more  frequently 
captured  than  we  supposed,  but  were  easily  enabled  to  slip  through 
the  meshes  of  the  net  on  account  of  their  slender  bodies,  and  thus  dis- 
appear before  being  observed  as  the  net  was  hauled  ashore. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer  says  the  bill  fish  is  rather  rare  in  the  Dela- 
ware, appearing  sometimes  in  a  small  school  of  about  a  dozen,  though 


374   REPORT  OP  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

usually  two  or  three  individuals  are  seen  at  one  time.  It  appears  in 
June  and  July,  till  August,  and  reaches  a  length  of  from  one  and  one- 
half  to  two  feet. 

Dr.  R.  J.  Phillips  says  it  is  common  in  the  bait-nets  at  Corson's 
Inlet  this  year.  It  reaches  a  maximum  size  of  about  eighteen  inches. 

Found  by  me  in  the  Delaware  about  Burlington  Island. 


Family   HEMIRAMPHID-ffi. 

Hyporhamphus  unifasciatus  (Ranzani). 
Half  Beak. 

Dr.  R.  J.  Phillips  reports  about  a.  dozen  taken  at  Corson's  Inlet  in 
a  bait-net  during  the  past  summer. 


Family  ATHERINID-ffi. 

Menidia  menidia  notata   (Mitchill). 
White  Bait.     Silversides. 

Color  when  fresh  pale  and  very  translucent  sandy-gray  or  brown, 
edge  of  each  scale  on  back  with  dark  margins  formed  of  dusky  dots. 
A  narrow  silvery  lateral  streak  from  axilla  to  base  of  caudal,  sharply 
defined  from  back  by  a  narrow  streak  of  plumbeous  on  its  upper  edge 
along  entire  course.  This  silvery  streak  of  intense  mercury-like  ap- 
pearance its  whole  length.  Muzzle  translucent  brownish,  and  inclusive 
of  mandible  and  preorbital  finely  dotted  with  dusky.  Iris  bright 
silvery- white.  Upper  surface  of  head  translucent  sandy-gray  like 
rest  of  body,  and  also  finely  dotted  with  dusky  rather  inconspicuously. 
Cheeks,  opercle  and  side  of  head  with  bright  silvery,  reflected  pale 
bluish  and  purplish  in  some  lights.  Inside  of  gill-opening  silvery- 
gray,  finely  dotted  with  dusky.  Fins  all  pale  translucent  grayish- 
white.  Peritoneum  showing  through  body-walls  of  abdomen  bright 
silvery.  Length  four  and  three-eighths  inches.  Also,  five  others 
from  Corson's  Inlet  on  January  14th,  1908.  At  the  above  locality  this 
fish  is  seined  as  a  food- fish,  and  is  known  as  "white  bait."  The  smaller 
examples  are  shipped  to  the  Philadelphia  markets  en  masse,  and  I  have 


NOTES  OX  NKW  .JKRSEY  FISHES.  375 

seen  large  pans  or  boxes,  each  containing  many  thousands  of  indi- 
viduals, exposed  there  for  sale.  At  Corson's  Inlet  they  were  cooked  or 
boiled  in  grease,  and' when  thus  served  are  said  to  be  very  palatable,  if 
not  boiled  too  much.  They  seem  to  keep  well  when  frozen,  like  smelts, 
and  are  thus  readily  transported.  They  appeared  to  be  equally  abund- 
ant at  this  season  as  they  are  during  warm  weather  and  along  other 
points  of  the  seashore. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  it  was  common  during  the  past  summer  in  the 
bait-net  at  Corson's  Inlet,  was  used  as  food,  and  known  as  "white 
bait"  by  the  fishermen. 

Several  taken  in  the  surf  at  Ocean  City  on  September  10th,  1908, 
with  the  sand  lance.  They  soon  die  out  of  water.  Some  were  quite 
large  in  size  and  rather  duller  silvery  than  usual. 

Taken  at  Grassy  Sound  July  18th,  1904. 


Family   MUGILID^E. 

Mugil  curema  Valenciennes. 
Mullet. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  that  the  small  mullets,  evidently  this  species,  are 
used  as  bait  for  rock  at  Corson's  Inlet.  The  large  ones  in  the  fall  are 
called  "fat  backs." 

Several  taken  in  the  surf  at  Ocean  City  on  September  10th,  1908. 
They  were  about  six  inches  long?  and  had  the  golden  opercular  blotch 
quite  prominent.  None  attempted  to  jump  the  cork  lines  of  the  seine 
as  it  was  hauled  ashore,  as  they  so  often  do  in  still  water. 


Family    GASTEROSTEID^E. 

Gasterosteus  aculeatus  Linnaeus. 
Two  Spined  Stickleback. 

Color  when  fresh,  deep  slaty  or  neutral-blackish  over  the  greater 
portion  of  the  upper  surface,  fading  into  a  steel  slaty-gray  on  the 
sides,  and  also  somewhat  paler  below.  Dark  color  of  the  back  spreads 
over  at  least  upper  half  of  body,  and  while  more  or  less  uniform  on 


376    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

back,  is  inconspicuously  mottled  on  sides  with  a  slightly  darker  shade 
than  general  body-color.  This  mottling  takes  the  form  more  or  less 
of  specks  of  rather  uneven  size,  distributed  at  least  over  all  of  the 
cuirass  of  the  trunk.  Along  base  of  anal  the  spots  are  distinct. 
Snout,  edge  of  mandible  and  preorbital  till  level  with  lower  margin 
of  eye  all  dusky  or  slaty-blackish  like  rest  of  upper  surface  of  head, 
though  line  of  demarcation  after  eye  not  so  distinct  and  not  extending 
below  upper  basal  margin  of  pectoral.  Opercle  and  pre-pectoral  plate 
pale  like  sides  of  trunk,  and  finely  mottled  with  rather  a  few  dusky 
specks.  Sides  of  mandibular  rami  tinted  a  little  with  neutral-slaty. 
Iris  neutral-slaty  with  a  narrow  silver  circle  around  slaty-black  pupil. 
Rest  of  under  surface  of  head  like  thorax.  From  axil  of  ventral  back 
to  vent  and  just  above  pale  pubic  process  a  tract  of  neutral  specks  or 
dots  extending  back.  In  some  lights  entire  lateral  and  lower  surface 
of  body  has  a  brilliant  shining  and  metallic  appearance  like  dark 
burnished  steel.  Dorsal  spines  pale  neutral,  membranes  transparent. 
Dorsal  rays,  anal  and  caudal  translucent  whitish,  also  pectoral.  Ven- 
tral spine  grayish-white,  and  membrane  within  closed  fin  brilliant 
orange.  Length  two  and  one-half  inches  for  largest  example.  In 
all,  fourteen  examples  from  Corson's  Inlet,  Cape  May  county,  on  Jan- 
uary 14th,  1908.  They  were  taken  in  a  hauling-net  or  seine  by  Mr. 
W.  G.  Carothers.  They  were  not  known  to  the  fishermen.-  Most  all 
show  at  least  a  little  orange  tinge  in  the  ventral  membranes.  Shrimps 
were  also  very  common  at  the  same  time.1 


Apeltes  quadracus   (Mitchill). 
Four  Spined  Stickleback. 

Several  adults,  males  with  red  ventrals,  were  taken  in  Great  Sound 
Creek,  Cape  May  county,  on  January  5th,  1908. 

Found  abundantly  in  grassy  pools  on  Burlington  Island  in  June 
of  1902. 

1  Crago  septemspinosus.  Also  an  example  of  Globiocephala  liracliyptera 
Cope  was  captured  there  under  the  same  date,  the  skeleton  of  which  I  have 
examined  in  the  Academy. 


NOTES  OX  NEW  JERSEY  FISHES.  377 

Family   FISTULARIIDJE. 

Fistularia  tabacaria  Linnaeus. 
Trumpet  Fish.. 

One  was  taken  in  a  tide  pool  at  Corson's  Inlet  this  summer,  accord- 
ing to  Dr.  R.  J.  Phillips.  It  was  about  eight  inches  long. 

Family    SYNGNATHID^E. 

Syngnathus  fuscus  Storer. 
Pipe  Fish. 

Mr.  J.  A.  G.  Rehn  secured  an  example  at  the  mouth  of  Westecunk 
Creek,  in  Ocean  county,  in  salt  water,  on  August  12th,  1908. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  several  were  taken  at  Corson's  Inlet,  and  a  small 
and  large  one  preserved. 

One  hauled  ashore  in  the  sea  lettuce  at  Ocean  City  on  September 
10th,  1908.  It  was  very  dark  brown  in  color. 

Family   TRICHIURID^E. 

Trichiurus   lepturus  Linnaeus. 
Cutlass  Fish. 

Reported  at  Sea  Isle  City  as  "silver  eel"  in  late  June  of  1908.  W. 
J.  Fox. 

Family    CARANGIDJE. 

Seriola  zonata    (Mitchill). 
Amber  Fish.     Pilot  Fish. 

One  taken  at  Ocean  City  on  August  15th,  1908,  by  Mr.  D.  Mc- 
Cadden. 

Dr.  Phillips  reports  two  taken  early  last  August  in  Corson's  Inlet, 


378   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. ' 

Selene  vomer   (Linnaeus). 
Moon  Fish. 

One  at  Sea  Isle  City  late  in  August,  1908.  W.  J.  Fox.  They  were 
then  reported  to  be  abundant  there,  and  a  number  were  shipped  to 
market. 

Dr.  Phillips  reports  small  ones  taken  in  the  bait-nets  at  Corson's 
Inlet. 

Trachinotus  carol inus  (Linnaeus). 
Common  Pampano. 

A  pampano,  evidently  this  species,  reported  taken  at  Corson's  Inlet 
on  August  21st,  1908,  by  Dr.  Phillips. 

Several  taken  at  Ocean  City  on  September  10th,  1908,  in  the  surf. 

Family   POMATOMID^E. 

Pomatomus  saltatrix   (Linnaeus). 
Blue  Fish. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  they  are  common  some  }^ears  at  Corson's  Inlet. 
Small  ones  abundant  in  August. 

One  small  example  taken  at  Ocean  City  on  September  7th,  1908, 
by  Mr.  David  McCadden,  with  an  isopod  crustacean  on  the  gills. 

Forty-three  examples  of  moderately  small  size  were  taken,  mostly 
in  a  single  haul  of  the  seine,  in  the  surf  at  Ocean  City,  on  September 
10th,  1908.  They  were  apparently  all  herded  in  a  school  in  one  of 
the  gullies  or  little  bays  formed  along  the  beach,  and  from  which  the 
tide  was  fast  ebbing  with  a  very  strong  undertow.  All  the  fish  opened 
contained  half-grown  sand  lance,  most  of  which  appeared  to  have 
been  swallowed  whole.  One  blue  fish,  when  thrown  on  the  dry  sand, 
vomited  a  small  live  sand  lance.  But  a  single  blue  fish  was  found 
infested  with  the  familiar  isopod  crustacean  attached  to  the  gills. 
The  teeth  of  the  blue  fish,  even  when  small,  are  very  sharp,  and  I 
was  painfully  bitten  by  one  in  its  struggles  as  it  floundered  about. 


NOTES  OX  NKW  JERSEY  FISHES.  379 

The  flesh  is  excellent  eating  at  this  age,  being  very  tender,  juicy,  and 
of  excellent  flavor.  About  three  or  four  are  a  very  fair  meal  for  one 
person. 

Family    STROMATEID-ffi. 

Poronotus  triacanthus   (Peck). 
Butter  Fish. 

Dr.  Phillips  reports  having  seen  it  at  Somers  Point  and  Atlantic 
City. 

Family   APHREDODERHXflE. 

Aphredoderus  sayanus  (Gilliams). 
Pirate  Perch. 

A  bright-colored  nearly  full-grown  example  taken  in  Eepaupo 
Creek,  Delaware  basin,  near  Repaupo,  in  Gloucester  county,  on  April 
19th,  1908. 

Family    CENTRARCHID-ffi. 

Pomoxis  sparoides    (Lac6p6de). 
Calico  Bass. 

One  small  or  young  example  several  inches  long  was  taken  in  a 
seine  in  the  clear  water  on  a  sandy  bank  along  the  shore  of  Newbold's 
Island,  Burlington  county,  on  August  13th,  1908.  In  life  it  was  dull 
muddy-brown  with  blackish  specks. 


Acantharchus   pomotis    (Baird). 
"Mud  Sun  Fish. 

A  rather  large  example  was  taken  above  the  "beaver  dam"  of  Sluice 
Creek,  tributary  of  Dennis  Creek,  in  Cape  May  county,  on  May  10th, 
1908.  Coloration  of  the  usual  olive. 


380   EBPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Enneacanthus  gloriosus  (Holbrook). 
Blue  Spotted  Sun  Fish. 

In  a  pool  formed  at  the  exhaust  of  the  Pensauken  water  works  sev- 
eral examples  were  found  March  21st,  1908.  No  other  fishes  were 
seen.  The  pool  is  about  twenty  by  forty  feet  in  size,  with  about  three 
or  four  feet  depth,  of  warm  water,  and  of  such  high  temperature  that 
the  aquatic  vegetation  all  along  the  banks  was  forced  well  beyond  the 
other  plants  outside  the  area  of  the  pool.  Though  suffering  somewhat 
from  the  frosts,  the  forced  plants  were  still  growing.  Constant  clouds 
of  vapor  were  steaming  from  the  surface  of  the  water,  though  the  fish 
were  of  the  usual  activity  when  captured,  and  displayed  the  usual 
characteristics  when  found  in  midwinter.  They  all  seemed  to  lurk  in 
the  vegetation  along  the  banks. 

An  example  nearly  full  grown,  though  not  especially  brilliant,  was 
taken  in  Repaupo  Creek,  near  Repaupo.  Delaware  basin,  in  Gloucester 
county,  on  April  19th,  1908. 

Found  in  grassy  pools  on  Burlington  Island  in  June  of  1902. 

Lepomis  auritus  (Linnaeus). 
Long  Eared  Sun  Fish. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer  says  the  river  sun  fish  was  more  abundant 
about  Trenton  formerly,  were  taken  with  lines,  and  reached  as  much 
as  three-quarters  of  a  pound  in  weight. 

Young  abundant  in  the  Delaware  about  Burlington  Island. 

Eupomotis  gibbosus   (Linnaeus). 
Common  Sun  Fish. 

Said  to  be  abundant  in  Raccoon  Creek,  at  Bridgeport,  Gloucester 
county. 

Young  taken  in  the  grass  of  the  lake  above  beaver  dam  of  Sluice 
Creek,  tributary  to  Dennis  Creek,  in  Cape  May  county,  May  10th, 
1908. 


NOTES  ON    NK\V  JERSEY  FISHES.  381 

In  the  Delaware  Kiver,  at  XewboltPs  Island,  Burlington  county, 
the  young  were  common  about  the  more  grassy  places,  though  all 
small  and  rather  dull-colored,  August  13th,  1908. 

Mr.  Vanderveer  says  this  is  very  common  in  the  Delaware,  often  in 
pools  and  creeks. 

Common  in  the  Delaware  about  Burlington  Island. 


Micropterus  dolomieu  Lac6pede. 
Small  Mouthed  Black  Bass. 

Introduced  into  Sluice  Creek  above  the  "beaver  dam/'  basin  of 
Dennis  Creek,  in  Cape  May  county. 

Family   PERCID-ffi. 

Perca  flavescens   (Mitchill) 
Yellow  Perch. 

Fishermen  reported  a  few  to  occur  in  Raccoon  Creek,  at  Bridgeport, 
Gloucester  county.  One  seen  taken  by  a  fisherman  on  April  19th, 
1908. 

Reported  scarce  in  Sluice  Creek,  tributary  of  Dennis  Creek,  in  Cape 
May  county. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Yanderveer  says  it  ascends  the  Delaware  rather  scattered 
in  the  spring  or  about  several  to  a  bunch,  and  these  bunches  moving 
close  along  shore.  It  ascends  also  the  creeks  and  meadow  streams, 
and  deposits  about  Trenton. 

Boleosoma  nigrum  olmstedi   (Storer). 
Tessellated  Darter. 

In  the  Delaware,  at  XewbolcTs  Island,  Burlington  county,  they 
W<TC  abundant  about  the  mouth  of  the  inlet  on  sandy  bottoms.  All 
\v?re  adults,  but  of  a  pale  straw  color,  none  in  the  dress  of  the  breed- 
ing-male. August  13th,  1908. 

Seen  in  shallow  runs  on  Burlington  Island. 


382        EEPOET  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 


Family    SERRANID^E. 

Roccus  lineatus   (Bioch). 
Bock. 

Eeported  frequently  taken  in  Eaccoon  Creek,  at  Bridgeport,  Glou- 
cester county. 

Eeported  to  be  taken  rarely  at  Townsend's  Inlet. 

Young  very  abundant  in  most  all  localities  seined  at  Newbold's 
Island,  Burlington  county,  August  13th,  1908.  All  were  small,  and 
none  over  about  three  inches  in  length.  The  dark  lateral  stripes  above 
the  lateral  line  were  very  inconspicuous,  and  the  dark  vertical  bands 
on  the  back  were  also  somewhat  obscure  in  the  living  fish.  Usually 
all  were  rather  dull  olive  above  and  whitish  below. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer  says  the  rock  spawns  along  a  hard,  sandy 
shore  where  the  water  is  clear  and  surging,  so  that  the  eggs  may  be 
disturbed  and  lashed  about  in  the  sands.  The  young  are  very  abun- 
dant in  the  late  summer  about  Trenton  in  the  Delaware. 

Dr.  E.  J.  Phillips  says  they  are  taken  at  Corson's  Inlet  up  to  forty- 
nine  pounds.  Examples,  twenty-one,  seventeen  and  twelve  pounds  were 
taken  this  year.  Other  years'  examples,  twenty  and  twenty-three 
pounds  in  weight  were  taken. 

Young  common  about  Burlington  Island. 


Morone  americana    (Mitchill). 
White  Perch.     Perch. 

Eeported  frequent  in  Eaccoon  Creek,  at  Bridgeport,  Gloucester 
county. 

About  a  hundred  taken  in  an  eel  seine  in  Ludlam's  Thoroughfare, 
Sea  Isle  City,  during  the  middle  of  August,  1908. 

Several  young  were  taken  in  the  Delaware  Eiver  at  Newbold's 
Island,  Burlington  county,  on  August  13th,  1908.  The  largest  was 
several  inches  long.  Color  silvery  as  usual,  and  scarcely  variegated. 

Mr.  Vanderveer  says  the  white  perch  is  not  known  to  spawn  about 
Trenton.  They  appear  scattered,  and  then  appear  to  locate  in  certain 
territories,  seemingly  to  protect  themselves,  the  large  ones  leading  the 


NOTES  ON  NEW  JERSEY  FISHES.  383 

schools.     Once  fifty-one  examples,  weighing  fifty  pounds  altogether, 
were  taken  in  one  haul. 

Dr.  Phillips  has  found  it  at  Corson's  Inlet. 

Frequently  found  about  Burlington  Island. 


Centropristes  striatus    (Linnaeus). 
Black  Sea  Bass. 

Dr.  E.  J.  Phillips  has  caught  it  at  Ocean  City,  Grassy  Sound,  Cor- 
son's  Inlet  and  South  Atlantic  Citv. 


Family    SPARID^E. 

Stenotomus  chrysops    (Linnaeus). 
Porgy. 

Dr.  Phillips  has  taken  it  at  Corson's  Inlet  and  off  Five  Fathom 
Bank. 

Lagodon   rhomboides   (Linnaeus). 

Sailor's  Choice. 

\ 

Dr.  Phillips  reports  three  taken  at  Corson's  Inlet  this  year. 

Archosargus  probatocephalus   (Walbaum). 
Sheepshead. 

Dr.  Phillips  reports  that  they  are  seen,  and  some  caught,  every  year 
at  Corson's  Inlet.  They  come  up  to  the  top  of  the  water  on  high  tides 
at  times  to  feed  on  the  mussels  along  the  pilings.  On  such  occasions 
they  have  been  known  to  be  speared. 


384   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 


Family    SCLflSNIDJC. 

Cynoscion  regalis   (Schneider). 
Weak  Fish. 

Several  were  reported  to  have  been  taken  in  the  Delaware  River,  at 
Pennsgrove,  Salem  county,  during  1907.  They  were  known  locally 
as  "trout,"  and  where  taken  in  gill  nets.  This  is  as  far  up  the  river  as 
I  am  aware  they  have  ever  been  found. 

Mr.  H.  Walker  Hand  reports  weak  fish  plentiful  at  Green  Creek, 
Cape  May  county,  by  May  3d,  1908. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  they  are  not  especially  plentiful  at  Corson's  Inlet. 
They  are  taken  usually  from  one  to  two  pounds,  and  occasionally 
larger  ones  come  in. 

Cynoscion   nebulosus   (Cuvier). 
Spotted  Weak  Fish. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  that  small  ones  were  caught  at  Corson's  Inlet, 
about  1905,  during  the  night,  in  the  bait-net.  He  saw  a  small  lot 
taken  about  ten  years  ago  at  Cape  May.  They  were  brought  in  from 
off  shore,  and  weighed  about  one-half  pound  each. 


Bairdiella  chrysura    (Lacepede). 
Silver  Perch. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  that  he  first  saw  it  at  Corson's  Inlet  this  year. 
Quite  plentiful  in  the  main  channel,  on  the  king  fish  grounds. 

Sciaenops  ocellatus   (Linnaeus). 
Red  Drum. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  they  are  caught  every  year  at  Corson's  Inlet,  and 
are  the  principal  game  fish.  They  are  taken  down  close  to  the  surf 
line  in  the  inlet.  They  are  also  taken  by  casting  in  the  surf.  They 


NOTES  ON  NEW  JERSEY  FISHES.  385 

feed  head  down  and  tail  up,  the  caudal  ocellus  frequently  visible, 
under  the  railroad  bridge,  where  they  have  also  been  caught,  one 
weighing  forty  pounds.  They  have  been  seen  caught  on  the  outer  bar 
as  high  as  fifty-six  pounds,  though  he  never  saw  smaller  examples 
than  about  twenty  pounds  in  weight.  They  are  valued  as  a  food-fish. 


Leiostomus  xanthurus 

Cape  May  Goody. 

A  half -grown  example  was  taken  in  the  surf  at  Ocean  City  on  Sep- 
tember 10th,  1908. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  they  are  very  plentiful  some  years  at  Corson's 
Inlet,  and  very  scarce  others.  They  are  carnivorous,  and  great  bait 
thieves.  He  has  also  taken  them  at  Somers  Point. 


Menticirrhus  saxatilis  (Schneider). 
King  Fish. 

Young  were  taken  in  several  haulings  of  the  seine  in  the  sea  lettuce, 
at  Ocean  City,  on  September  10th,  1908.  They  were  beautifully  varie- 
gated with  deep  brown  blotches. 

Dr.  Phillips  has  taken  them  at  Corson's  Inlet  and  South  Atlantic 
City.  They  have  been  plentiful  the  last  three  years,  especially  the 
past  season,  catches  being  about  fifty  to  seventy-five  per  man  on  a  tide. 
He  caught  fifty-eight  on  part  of  one  tide  this  year.  The  young  were 
also  extremely  abundant  during  1905,  and  they  were  then  the  only 
fish  taken  in  bait-nets.  This  and  the  sea  bass  are  the  principal  fish 
for  the  summer  excursionist. 

Pogonias  cromis   (Linnaeus). 
Black  Drum. 

Dr.  Phillips  caught  one  last  year,  at  Corson's  Inlet,  weighing  fifty- 
eight  pounds.  Small  banded  examples  of  about  twelve  pounds  were 
caught  in  surf-casting  this  year.  Though  the  big  fish  are  said  to  be 
inedible  and  poor  eating,  the  large  one  he  took  last  year  was  found  to 
be  very  good.  He  thinks  its  flesh  equals  that  of  the  red  drum. 

25 


386        EEPOET  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Family   LABRID.ZE. 

Tautogolabrus  adspersus  (Walbaum). 
Bergall. 

A  fine  example,  seven  and  one-quarter  inches  long,  taken  at  Ocean 
City  on  September  7th,  1908.  Also  two  others  on  the  same  day,  not 
preserved.  Back  with  many  warm  russet  spots.  David  McCadden. 

At  Corson's  Inlet  and  Barnegat  Pier  Dr.  Phillips  has  taken  this 
fish.  He  says  they  are  plentiful  early  in  the  season  till  late,  and  are 
never  much  over  six,  and  mostly  about  three  or  four  inches  in  length, 
It  is  occasionally  eaten,  though  the  flesh  is  not  as  firm  eating  as  that 
of  the  tautog.  It  is  a  great  bait-stealer. 

Tautoga  onitis   (Linnaeus). 
Tautog. 

Several  taken  about  the  old  wreck  and  pilings  at  Ocean  City  Sep- 
tember 10th,  1908.  They  are  fine  pan  fish  when  small.  They  are 
mostly  skinned  when  prepared  as  food. 

Dr.  Phillips  has  taken  this  at  Corson's  Inlet,  Barnegat  Pier,  Long- 
port  and  Ocean  City.  It  is  a  good  food-fish.  He  has  seen  examples 
of  four  pounds  weighed  at  Corson's  Inlet,  and  had  reports  of  one  eight 
pounds  from  Townsend's  Inlet.  They  usually  run  two  to  two  and 
one-half  pounds. 

Family   BALISTID^E. 

Balistes  carol inensis  Gmelin. 

Trigger  Fish. 

An  example  twelve  and  one-quarter  inches  long  was  taken  on  a  hook 
and  line  at  Ocean  City  on  September  7th,  1908.  The  spots  on  dorsal, 
anal  and  caudal  were  deep  violet,  though  towards  margins  of  these 
fins  they  faded  out  to  grayish.  Some  similar  on  base  of  pectoral. 
Also  faint  bluish  spots  and  vermiculations  on  back.  Iris  dull  gray- 
brown.  David  McCadden. 


NOTES   ON   NEW  JERSEY   FISHES.  387 


Family   OSTRACIID^E. 

Lactophrys  triqueter   (Linnaeus). 
Trunk  Fish.     Bull  Fish. 

Head  2V10;  depth  !2/6;  D.  9;  A.  9;  P.  11;  greatest  width  ol 
body  1 1/3  in  its  length ;  greatest  depth  of  body  1  1/3 ;  snout  2  in 
head;  eye  2%;  interorbital  1. 

Body  shaped  almost  orbicular  generally,  upper  and  lower  surfaces 
convex,  greatest  depth  nearly  midway  in  length,  and  profiles  simi- 
larly convex,  that  of  upper  bulging  more  posteriorly  and  of  lower 
more  anteriorly.  Back  with  a  high  trenchant  keel,  beginning  a  little 
before  middle  in  length  of  body  and  continued  to  dorsal  origin.  Sides 
of  body  constricted  concavely.  Lower  surface  convex.  Edges  of  body 
otherwise  not  especially  carinated,  convex.  Caudal  peduncle  smalL 

Head  large,  deep,  laterally  compressed  with  concave  sides,  upper 
and  lower  surfaces  a  little  convex,  anterior  upper  profile  steep,  though 
more  inclined  than  lower.  Muzzle  bluntly  convex,  rather  short. 
Snout  deep,  sides  constricted  concavely,  profile  slightly  and  evenly 
convex.  Eye  large,  rounded,  high,  near  upper  edge  of  head  posteriorly 
in  its  length.  Teeth  small,  uniserial,  convex,  not  numerous,  and 
simple.  Lips  apparently  tough.  A  slight  groove  sloping  down  from 
before  front  of  eye  anteriorly,  and  nostrils  inconspicuous.  Inter- 
orbital  space  broad,  depressed  a  little  convexly,  and  slight  convexity 
rising  out  behind  towards  dorsal  keel. 

Gill-opening  small  and  inconspicuous  above  base  of  pectoral. 

Body  encased  in  a  bony  cuirass  made  up  of  hexagonal  plates.  On 
upper  surface  and  sides  they  form  ridges  fashioned  as  rhombs,  and 
these  becoming  mostly  smaller  on  head.  Lower  surface  of  body  per- 
fectly smooth. 

Dorsal  small,  posterior,  its  base  entirely  before  that  of  anal,  and 
anterior  rays  longest,  edge  of  fin  rounded.  Anal  little  larger  than 
dorsal,  similar,  and  inserted  directly  behind  base  of  latter.  Caudal 
small,  oblong.  Pectoral  largest  of  fins,  elongate,  and  upper  rays 
longest.  Vent  close  before  anal,  rather  large. 

Color  of  dried  example  mostly  uniform  dull  brownish  generally, 
center  of  each  hexagonal  plate  deep  brown.  Iris  pale  slaty.  Fins  dull 
brown.  Teeth  deep  horny-brown. 


388   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Length  19  millimeters.,  or  a  trifle  over  three-quarters  of  an  inch. 

The  above  is  the  only  example  I  have  ever  seen.  It  was  taken  at 
Grassy  Sound,  in  Cape  May  county,  on  September  18th,  1904,  by  Mr. 
Jacob  Miller,  and  kindly  presented  to  me  by  Mr.  R.  F.  Miller,  of 
Philadelphia.  None  of  the  fishermen  to  whom  it  was  shown  could 
identify  it.  One  called  it  a  young  "bull  fish."  None  of  them  seemed 
to  be  acquainted  with  it.  It  was  caught  in  a  live-box. 


Family   TETRODONTID-ffi. 

Lagocephalus   laevigatus   (Linnaeus). 
Rabbit  Fish. 

One  taken  at  Sea  Isle  City  on  July  1st,  1908.  W.  J.  Fox.  Another 
was  also  taken  somewhere  on  our  eoast  during  the  past  summer,  but 
its  data  was  not  preserved. 


Spheroides  maculatus  (Schneider). 
Puffer. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  it  is  common  in  warm  weather  at  Corson's  Inlet, 
takes  the  hook,  and  reaches  about  six  inches  in  length. 

Family   DIODONTID^E. 

Chilomycterus  schoepfi    (Walbaum). 
Burr  Fish. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  it  was  seen  this  year  at  Corson's  Inlet,  and  taken 
on  the  hook.  It  reaches  eight  inches  in  length,  is  thought  to  be  rare 
by  the  fishermen,  and  lives  a  long  while  out  of  water. 


NOTES   ON   NEW   JERSEY   FISHES.  389 


Family    COTTID-ffi. 

Myoxocephalus  aeneus  (Mitchill). 
Sculpin. 

Dr.  Phillips  reports  three  seen  at  Corson's  Inlet  this  year,  and  it 
was  said  to  have  been  common  during  the  past  summer.  It  is  taken 
in  the  bait-net  on  the  sandy  beaches.  This  is  the  first  definite  record 
for  this  species  on  the  coast  of  New  Jersey. 

Family   TRIGLIDJE. 

Prionotus  carolinus    (Linnaeus). 
Sea  Robin. 

Probably  the  most  common  species  at  Corson's  Inlet.  Dr.  Phillips 
says  it  is  regarded  as  a  pest  when  fishing  for  king  fish.  It  is  plenti- 
ful every  summer.  They  croak  when  hauled  in  the  boat.  Not  seen 
over  eight  inches. 

Family   PLEURONECTIDJE. 

Lophopsetta  maculata   (Mitchill). 
Window  Light. 

Seen  at  Corson's  Inlet  in  summer,  according  to  Dr.  Phillips.  They 
reach  about  a  foot,  though  usually  smaller,  and  are  eaten. 

Paralichthys  dentatus   (Linnaeus). 
Summer  Flounder. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  it  is  common  at  Corson's  Inlet,  sometimes  ex- 
tremely so.  Caught  by  trolling  the  bullhead  minnow  and  clams. 
They  run  quite  large,  occasionally  up  to  four  pounds. 


390        REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 
Family   SOLEID^E. 

Achirus  fasciatus  Lac6p6de. 
Sole. 

Mr.  Emlen  Martin  reports  one  taken  in  the  Rancocas  Creek,  at 
Centerton,  Burlington  county,  some  years  ago. 

Two  examples  were  taken  in  the  Delaware  River,  at  Newbold's  Is- 
land, Burlington  county,  on  August  13th,  1908.  They  were  scarcely 
one  and  one-half  inches  or  more  in  length.  Color  mostly  translucent 
brownish  on  the  colored  side,  the  pale  side  a  livid  grayish.  When  taken 
they  were  very  inactive,  and  were  found  clinging  to  stones. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Vanderveer  says  the  "flounder"  is  occasionally  taken  in 
the  Delaware  tidewater,  but  not  above  Trenton. 

Family   OPHIDIIDJE. 

Rissola  marginata  (De  Kay). 

Sand  Cusk. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  they  are  caught  in  the  bait-net  at  Corson's  Inlet. 
They  soon  bury  themselves  in  "live"  sand,  tail  first.  Though  not  used 
as  food,  they  are  considered  among  the  best  bait  for  rock  bass.  More 
were  caught  last  year  and  this  year  than  ever  before,  generally  one  or 
two  at  every  haul. 

Family   AMMODYTID^E. 

Ammodytes  americanus  De  Kay. 
Sand  Lance. 

Five  examples  secured  at  Ocean  City  on  September  7th,  1908,  the 
largest  seven  inches  long.  Reported  to  be  very  abundant,  and  many 
found  on  the  sand  by  Mr.  D.  McCadden.  Found  abundant  on  Sep- 
tember 10th,  though  mostly  of  small  size,  and  many  devoured  by  blue 
fish. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  that  at  Corson's  Inlet  it  is  used  as  bait  for  rock, 
and  reaches  about  eight  inches  in  length. 


NOTES   ON   NEW  JERSEY   FISHES.  391 

Family   BATRACHOIDID-ffi. 

Opsanus  tau   (Linnaeus). 
Oyster  Fish. 

Color  when  fresh,  pale  olive-brown,  generally  paler  below,  and 
tinted  with  salmon-pink  on  breast  and  throat.  Head  above  finely 
mottled  and  speckled  with  very  fine  numerous  markings  of  dusky- 
olive.  Some  also  on  base  of  pectoral.  Side  of  head  and  flanks  with 
brownish  specks.  Trunk  with  dusky  to  blackish  vermiculations  and 
blotches.  Vertical  fins  and  pectoral  like  back,  becoming  terra-cotta 
to  ochraceous  tinted  towards  margins,  and  all  barred  with  dusky. 
Spinous  dorsal  mottled.  Eayed  dorsal  with  broad  bands,  somewhat 
irregular,  and  sloping  down  behind.  Caudal  with  five  transverse 
bands,  outer  broadest,  and  also  broad  dark  band  on  caudal  peduncle 
at  base  of  fin.  Anal  with  pale,  rather  narrow  and  ill-defined  bands 
obliquely  up  behind.  Pectoral  with  about  seven  or  eight  transverse 
narrow  bands,  irregular  towards  base  of  fin,  and  distal  ones  broader. 
Ventral  pale  salmon  or  pinkish.  Iris  gray-brown,  narrow  dull  gilt 
circle  around  slaty  pupil.  Length  eight  and  three-quarter  inches. 
Ocean  City.  September  7th,  1908.  David  McCadden.  Also  three 
more  examples. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  it  is  not  rare  at  Corson's  Inlet.  It  is  caught  along 
muddy  banks  when  fishing  for  small  sea  bass.  Runs  about  six  inches 
in  length. 

Family    GADID^E. 

Microgadus  tomcod  (Walbaum). 
Tom  Cod. 

Reported  to  Dr.  Phillips  at  Corson's  Inlet,  though  not  seen. 


392   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Phycis  regius   (Walbaum). 
Hake. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  it  was  common  at  Coreon's  Inlet  during  last  June, 
though  not  used  as  food. 

Family   MERLUCCIIDJE. 

Merluccius  bilinearis    (Mitchill). 
Whiting. 

Mr.  David  McCadden  secured  an  example  on  July  26th,  1908,  in 
Great  Egg  Harbor  Bay,  at  Ocean  City,  Cape  May  county. 

Family   LOPHIIDJE. 

Lophius  piscatorius  Linnaeus. 

Angler. 

Dr.  Phillips  says  he  has  seen  it  in  the  pound  at  Atlantic  City. 


2.     Notes  on  New  Jersey  Amphibians 
and  Reptiles. 


In  preparing  this  account  I  am  especially  indebted  to  Mr.  W.  D. 
W.  Miller,  of  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History  in  New 
York,  for  notes  about  Plainfield,  and  to  Mr.  C.  Few  Seiss,  of  Phila- 
delphia, who  has  kindly  placed  at  my  disposal  an  account  of  his  col- 
lections. To  this  I  have  added  my  own  notes  and  those  of  several 
others  who  have  kindly  contributed  information  and  material. 


Family   AMBYSTOMID^E. 

Ambystoma  opacum   (Gravenhorst) . 
Blotched  Salamander. 

Mr.   W.  D.   W.   Miller  says  it  is  scarce  about   Plainfield,  Union 
county. 

Ambystoma  punctatum   (Linnaeus). 
Spotted  Salamander. 

Mr.  Miller  also  found  this  salamander  scarce  about  Plainfield. 

Family   PLETHODONTID^E. 

Hemidactylium  scutatum  Tschudi. 
Four  Toed  Salamander. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  not  common  about  Plainfield. 
A  small  example  was  obtained  at  Cape  May,  Cape  May  county, 
during  the  middle  of  July,  by  Mr.  0.  H.  Brown.    'This  is  the  first 

(393) 


394   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

record  of  the  occurrence  of  this  species  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
State  I  have.  The  specimen  is  now  preserved  in  the  collection  of  the 
Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  of  Philadelphia. 


Plethodon  erythronotus   (Green). 
Red  Backed  Salamander. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  abundant  about  Plainfield. 
Mr.  C.  Few  Seiss  has  both  the  red  and  the  gray  forms  from  High 
Bridge,  in  Hunterdon  county. 

Plethodon   glutinosus    (Green). 
Sticky  Salamander. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  locally  abundant  about  Plainfield,  especially  in 
the  trap  ridges,  though  entirely  absent  from  certain  areas. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  High  Bridge  and  vicinity,  in  Hunterdon 
county. 

Spelerpes  bislineatus  (Green). 
Two  Lined  Salamander. 

Mr.  Miller  found  it  abundant  about  Plainfield. 
Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Hunterdon  county. 


Spelerpes  longicauda  (Green). 
Long  Tailed  Salamander. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  common,  about  water,  along  the  foot  of  the  trap 
ridges  immediately  north  of  Plainfield. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  two  specimens  from  Hunterdon  county. 


AMPHIBIANS  AXD  REPTILES.  395 

Spelerpes  ruber   (Daudin). 
Bed  Salamander. 

Mr.  Miller  found  it  common  about  Plainfield. 
Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Hunterdon  county.     He  also  obtained  one 
example  from  Gloucester,  in  Camden  county. 

Family   DESMOGNATHIDJE. 

Desmognathus  fusca  (Rafinesque). 
Dusky  Salamander. 

Mr.  Miller  found  it  abundant  about  Plainfield. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  High  Bridge,  in  Hunterdon  county. 

Family   PLEURODELID-ffi. 

Diemictylus  viridescens  (Rafinesque). 
Newt. 

According  to  Mr.  Miller,  it  is  common  about  Plainfield. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  both  the  olive  and  red  forms  from  High  Bridge. 

Family   BUFONID^l. 

Bufo  americanus  Holbrook. 
Toad. 

Mr.  Miller  says  but  one  form  of  toad,  most  likely  this  species,  is 
abundant  about  Plainfield. 

At  Burlington,  Burlington  county,  on  April  26th,  1908,  the"y  were 
very  vociferous. 

Many  newly-hatched  tadpoles,  evidently  this  species,  were  found  in 


396    REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Sluice  Creek,  tributary  of  Dennis  Creek  in  Cape  May  county.  No 
adults  seen.  May  10th,  1908. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  High  Bridge,  also  Gloucester  and  Camden  in 
Camden  county  and  Atlantic  City  in  Atlantic  county. 

Several  seen  about  Ocean  City,  in  Cape  May  county,  on  September 
10th,  1908. 

Family  HYLID^I. 

Pseudacris  triseriatus   (Wied). 
Swamp  Tree  Toad. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  rather  abundant  about  Plainfield  in  Union 
county,  judging  by  the  spring  chorus,  but  so  inconspicuous  after  the 
song  season  that  he  met  with  but  two  or  three  until  this  time.  These 
specimens  he  says  were  preserved. 

Acris  gryllus  crepitans   (Baird). 
Cricket  Toad. 

Mr.  Miller  reports  it  common  about  Plainfield. 

Two  found  at  Franklinville,  in  Gloucester  county,  on  April  17th, 
1908. 

Several  in  pools  about  Repaupo,  in  Gloucester  county,  on  April 
19th,  1908. 

Abundant,  and  occasionally  their  rattling  notes  were  heard  in  the 
beaver  swamp  of  Sluice  Creek,  in  Cape  May  county,  on  May  10th, 
1908.  They  were  associated  with  the  frogs  and  were  dark  or  blackish 
in  color. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Gloucester  and  High  Bridge. 


Hyla  pickeringii    (Holbrook). 
Pickering's  Tree  Toad. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  abundant  about  Plainfield. 
Found  in  numbers  in  full  chorus  in  swamps  about  Franklinville, 
in  Gloucester  county,  on  April  17th,  1908. 


AMPHIBIANS  AXD  REPTILES.  397 

Abundant  in  chorus  in  all  the  meadows  near  Repaupo  and  Gibbs- 
town,  in  Gloucester  count}7,  on  April  19th,  1908. 

Below  Millville  dam,  Cumberland  county,  it  was  heard  in  large 
chorus  along  the  Maurice  River,  on  May  9th,  1908. 


Hyla  andersonii  Baird. 
Anderson  Tree  Toad. 

Color,  when  fresh,  beautiful  pea-green  on  back  and  upper  surfaces 
of  limbs.  This  color  is  bounded  all  along  its  edges  on  head,  flanks, 
sacral  region  posteriorly,  tibial  region  and  hallux,  by  a  narrow  line 
of  pale  whitish,  with  just  a  very  slight  tint  of  dilute  azure  in  some 
places.  On  femoral  region  this  pale  boundary-line  is  not  evident. 
From  nares,  to  and  including  eye,  back  towards  axilla,  a  deep  indigo- 
black  streak  or  band,  this  not  wider  than  vertical  diameter  of  eye, 
and  sharply  and  conspicuously  evident,  especially  being  due  to  pale 
narrow  boundary-lines.  These  blackish  bands  do  not  extend  across 
tip  of  nose.  Edge  of  upper  jaw  paler  green  all  around.  At  axilla 
indigo-black  band  becomes  a  beautiful  lavender-gray,  which  extends 
well  back  in  bright  color  toward  groin,  but  not  to  latter.  Just  little 
above  axilla  it  sends  forward  a  narrow  dark  grayish-lavender  branch, 
which  widens  out  into  broad  dusky-lavender  or  neutral  tint  of  throat 
or  vocal  vesicle.  Edges  of  lower  lip  slightly,  though  rather  broadly, 
pale  violet  or  purplish  all  around  to  greenish  patch,  which  begins 
about  opposite  front  part  of  eye.  Greenish  of  upper  surface  of  fore 
limbs  is  thus  completely  separated  from  that  of  back,  and  is  bordered 
with  a  fine  or  narrow  pale  line  all  around,  which  at  shoulder  assumes 
a  slightly  bluish  hue.  Breast  livid  pale  lavender,  papilla?  larger  or 
more  whitish,  though  all  annectant  colors  fuse  gradually  into  it. 
Hand  above  dull  prussian-blue,  and  this  color  not  sharply  demarked 
from  bright  orange-red  .of  hand  below,  which  latter  color  is  also 
brightest  in  the  first  two  fingers.  In  fact,  bluish  of  upper  surface  of 
hand  is  largely  superiorly  external,  only  extending  over  outer  half, 
and  in  the  basal  joint  of  the  third  finger  and  nearly  whole  of  upper 
surfaces  of  the  fourth  finger.  The  two  inner  fingers  are  brilliant 
orange-red.  Bluish  of  hand  above  extends  along  forearm  to  elbow,  be- 
hind narrow  yellowish-green  line  separating  green  above.  On  lower 
surface  of  forearm  it  fades  beautiful  violet,  and  next  to  yellowish-green 


398   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

line  turns  somewhat  dusky.  Posterior  humeral  region  and  lower  front 
surface  of  forearm  bright  gamboge-brown,  blotched  and  spotted  with 
most  brilliant  orange.  These  spots  rather  small  on  wrist  and  in  axilla, 
also  rather  dull  on  former  and  very  bright  on  latter,  and  at  posterior 
humeral  region  rather  large.  On  orange-red  of  hand  and  fingers  are 
many  small  brilliant  orange  dots  or  spots.  Lower  surface  of  hand  on 
outside  becomes  somewhat  brownish.  Belly  fades  posteriorly  at  first 
through  a  pale  gamboge  or  brownish  into  brilliant  orange-red  of 
lower  surface  of  hind  limbs.  Half  way  along  flanks,  for  spots  are 
not  continued  to  axilla,  large  brilliant  orange  spots  are  distributed  in 
inguinal  region,  then  a  little  more  sparsely  and  of  smaller  size  along 
front  of  tibial  region,  lower  posterior  surface  of  fibula  and  tibia,  and 
then  on  upper  surface  of  foot,  where,  of  course,  much  smaller.  In- 
ferior tibio-fibular  region  with  tinge  of  dull  gamboge.  From  knee 
along  anterior  margin  of  pale  line  separating  green  of  upper  surface 
of  tibio-fibular  region,  a  blackish-indigo  annectant  line,  narrow  and 
soon  fading  into  lilac  and  then  into  gamboge-orange  below.  Outer 
edge  of  foot  superiorly  and  out  on  basal  portion  of  fourth  toe  and 
entire  upper  surface  of  fifth  toe  lilac-purple.  Feet  otherwise  orange- 
red,  innermost  digits  most  brilliant  and  most  everywhere  finely 
spotted  with  orange.  No  spots  on  belly  and  inter-femoral  region, 
though  papillae  all  of  paler  shade.  Ventral  region  with  narrow 
whitish  line  separating  greenish  of  back,  below  dusky-lilac  tint,  be- 
coming more  pronounced  below.  All  these  colors  soon  give  place  to 
green  of  upper  surface  and  orange-red  of  lower.  Iris  beautiful 
golden,  variegated  with  different  shades  to  form  very  narrow  golden 
circle  around  black  pupil.  Length  from 'tip  of  snout  to  tip  of  out- 
stretched fourth  toe,  three  and  a  half  inches.  Received  by  Mr.  J. 
W.  Holman,  through  Mr.  J.  A.  G.  Rehn,  from  Stafford's  Forge,  in 
Ocean  county,  April  29th,  1908.  Another,  with  the  same  data,  was 
also  received  on  September  18th,  1908. 


Hyla  versicolor  Le  Conte. 
Common  Tree  Toad. 

Mr.  Miller  savs  it  is  common  at  Plainfield. 


AMPHIBIANS  AND  BEPTILES.  399 

Family  RANID-ffi. 

Rana    pipiens   Schreber. 

Leopard  Frog. 

A  small  blackish  tadpole,  evidently  the  young  of  this  species,  was 
taken  in  Goshen  Creek,  near  Goshen,  Cape  May  county,  on  January 
5th,  1908. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  not  very  common  about  Plainfield. 

Several  bright  green  examples  were  found  about  South  Dennis,  in 
Cape  May  county,  on  May  10th,  1908.  All  had  the  markings  on 
the  back  very  distinct.  They  would  jump  into  the  water  as  one 
approached,  and  were  quite  conspicuous  by  their  green  color. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Camden  and  Gloucester. 

Rana  virgatipes  Cope. 
Sphagnum  Frog. 

This  interesting  frog  was  heard  frequently  calling  in  the  sphag- 
num bogs  of  Sluice  Creek,  a  tributary  of  Dennis  Creek,  below  South 
Dennis  in  Cape  May  county,  on  May  10th,  1908.  They  were  evidently 
in  the  height  of  their  breeding.  A  pair  found  in  copula  had  the 
axillary  type  of  embrace,  the  male  of  course  mounted  above  in  the 
usual  position.  The  sexes  showed  little  difference  in  color,  the  female, 
however,  usually  appearing  more  swollen  or  obese,  if  not  a  trifle  large. 
The  frogs  exhibited  all  the  characteristics  of  those  found  in  Mare 
Run,  in  1904.  They  were  equally  retiring  in  their  habits,  and  could 
be  distinguished  among  the  submerged  vegetation  only  when  one 
happened  to  move,  which  is  always  very  slight  in  its  disturbance  to 
the  water,  or  happened  to  be  near  when  calling.  The  name,  "cluck- 
cluck"  was  used  rather  vaguely  by  some  people  to  distinguish  them 
from  the  other  species.  Mr.  H.  Walker  Hand  reports  he  is  positive 
that  he  has  heard  this  species  near  Cape  May  City,  among  the  fresh 
marshes  or  ponds.  Its  occurrence  there  would  not  be  altogether  un- 
expected. 


400   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Rana   catesbeiana   Shaw. 
Bull  Frog. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  somewhat  common  and  local  or  restricted 
about  Plainfield. 

One  seen  in  Little  Timber  Creek,  Delaware  Basin,  near  Coopers, 
in  Gloucester  county,  on  April  19th,  1908. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  High  Bridge  and  Camden. 

Rana  clamata   Daudin. 
Green  Frog. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  abundant  at  Plainfield. 

Several  frogs,  evidently  this  species,  were  heard  about  Franklin- 
ville,  in  Gloucester  county,  on  April  17th,  1908. 

Found  about  Porchtown,  in  Gloucester  county,  on  April  17th,  1908. 
Both  adults  and  tadpoles  were  seen. 

Found  at  Repaupo,  in  Gloucester  county,  on  April  19th,  1908. 

Several  found  about  the  lake  at  Millville,  in  Cumberland  county, 
on  May  9th,  1908.  One  nearly  full  grown,  and  the  small  tadpoles 
seen  were  also  most  likely  this  species. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  High  Bridge  and  Gloucester. 

Rana   palustris  Le  Conte. 
Pickerel  Frog. 

Mr.  Miller  found  it  common  about  Plainfield. 
Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  High  Bridge  and  Gloucester. 

Rana  sylvatica  Le  Conte. 
Wood  Frog. 

Mr.  Miller  found  it  common  about  Plainfield. 
Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Hi£h  Bridge. 


AMPHIBIANS  AND  RKI'TILKS.  401 

Family  COLUBRID^E. 

Regina   leberis   (Linnaeus). 
Leather  Snake. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Hunter  don  county. 

Matrix  sipedon   (Linnaeus). 

Water  Snake. 

Mr.  Miller  says  this  and  the  garter  snake  are  the  most  abundant 
species  about  Plainfield. 

A  large  example  taken  at  Beverly,  in  Burlington  county,  on  May 
2d,  1908,  by  Mr.  S.  Scovell. 

One  found  at  the  head  of  Millville  Lake,  in  Cumberland  county, 
on  May  9th,  1908. 

Found  in  Sluice  Creek  near  South  Dennis,  in  Cape  May  county, 
on  May  10th,  1908.  They  were  all  dull  with  obscure  markings  above. 
The  several  individuals  seen  were  swimming  about  the  sphagnum, 
and  probably  had  plenty  of  food  in  the  frogs.  They  were  about  two 
feet  in  length. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Hunterdon  county,  and  Gloucester,  in  Camden 
county,  where  it  was  seen  in  many  places. 

Storeria  occipito-maculata   (Storer). 
Eed  Bellied  Snake. 

Mr.  J.  A.  G.  Eehn  tells  me  he  saw  an  example  of  this  species 
taken  at  Hammonton,  in  Mullica  township,  Atlantic  county,  by 
Stephen  Milstead,  Sr.,  in  March,  1908. 

Color,  in  life,  deep  dusky-brown  on  back,  inclining  nearly  to 
blackish,  and  head  above  rather  more  brownish.  On  nape  of  neck 
three  pale  ochraceous  blotches  of  warm  buff  conspicuous,  one  median 
superiorly  and  each  of  others  lateral.  Several  pale  obscure  specks 
on  head  above.  A  pair  of  median  obscure  dusky  lines,  rather  well 

26 


402   REPOBT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

separated,  down  middle  of  back.  Along  sides,  just  above  gastrosteges, 
a  dusky  line  extending  back,  though  becoming  obsolete  on  posterior 
half  of  body,  and  marked  above  and  below  by  a  series  of  small 
buffy  spots  along  its  entire  length.  Lower  surface  of  head  grayish 
with  a  few  dusky  specks  along  side.  Lower  surface  of  trunk  and 
tail  deep  brick-red.  Length  five  inches.  Taken  at  Stafford's  Forge, 
in  Ocean  county,  on  June  12th,  1908,  by  Mr.  J.  W.  Holman. 


Storeria   dekayi    (Holbrook). 
De  Kay's  Brown  Snake. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  apparently  not  common  about  Plainfield. 
Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Hunterdon  county. 

Genus  VIRGINIA  Baird  and  Girard. 

The  Virginia  Snakes. 

Virginia  Valerias  Baird  and  Girard. 

Blaney's  Snake. 

Scales  smooth,  about  fifteen  in  transverse  dorsal  series.  Gastro- 
steges  one  hundred  and  twenty  to  one  hundred  and  thirty.  Anal 
plate  divided.  Color  grayish,  in  life,  with  minute  black  dots,  often 
in  two  rows.  Below  yellowish.  Length  twelve  inches. 

Known  from  our  limits  only  by  Mr.  W.  D.  W.  Miller's  observations. 
He  says  he  has  found  several  specimens,  all  under  boards  or  stones, 
in  woods  on  the  trap  ridges  immediately  north  of  Plainfield.  South 
of  this  region  the  species  is  apparently  not  found.  Though  I  have 
never  seen  any  specimens,  Mr.  Miller  informs  me  that  he  has  one 
adult  specimen  preserved.  This  is  the  first  occurrence  of  the  species 
in  New  Jersey  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  and  its  distribution  is  usually 
given  as  no  further  north  than  Maryland  and  Delaware. 


AMPHIBIANS  AND  REPTILES.  403 

Diadophis  punctatus   (Linnaeus). 
Eing  Necked  Snake. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  locally  common  about  Plainfield,  chiefly  in  the 
trap  ridges. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  High  Bridge. 

Coluber  constrictor  Linnaeus. 
Black  Snake. 

According  to  Mr.  Miller  it  is  common  about  Plainfield. 

One  taken  near  the  head  of  Millville  Lake,  in  Cumberland  county, 
on  May  9th,  1908,  by  Mr.  Samuel  Scovell.  It  was  found  in  a  tree 
along  the  edge  of  a  swamp.  Eyes  appeared  reddish,  throat  and  chin 
whitish. 

Thamnophis  sauritus  (Linnaeus). 
Ribbon  Snake. 

Mr.  C.  J.  Hunt  secured  two  examples  near  Pensauken,  in  Camden 
county,  on  March  15th,  1908.  The  larger  was  about  twenty  inches 
in  length.  After  keeping  them  in  captivity  some  time  they  were 
killed.  They  would  not  take  any  food.  They  refused  to  eat  ordinary 
garden  slugs  or  snails.  In  disposition  they  were  very  gentle  and 
mild,  and  did  not  resist  when  handled,  though  were  easily  frightened. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  a  common  species  about  Plainfield. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Hunterdon  county,  and  Mount  Holly,  in 
Burlington  county. 

Thamnophis  sirtalis    (Linnaeus). 
Garter  Snake. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  the  most  abundant  snake  about  Plainfield. 
All  apparently  belong  to  one  sub-species,  having  the  dorsal  stripe 
always  present  and  usually  very  distinct. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Camden,  Gloucester  and  Hunterdon  county. 


404   REPORT  OF  NEW  JEESEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Lampropeltis  getulus   (Linnaeus). 
Chain  Snake. 

Mr.  W.  P.  Seal  says  he  has  observed  it  at  Tomilson's  Mills. 

Lampropeltis    doliatus    triangulus    (Bole). 
House  Snake. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  common  about  Plainfield.'  He  thinks  the  pre- 
vailing, if  not  the  exclusive  form,  is  triangulus,  as  his  single  pre- 
served specimen  is  this  rather  than  clericus.  I  have  not  seen  his 
material. 

Heterodon  platyrinos   (Latreille). 
Hog  Nose  Snake. 

Mr.  C.'  J.  Hunt  found  it  at  Brown's  Mills,  in  Burlington  county, 
in  1906,  and  Belle  Mountain,  in  Mercer  county,  on  September  of 
1907. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  apparently  not  very  common  about  Plainfield. 

Large  example  taken  at  Beverly,  in  Burlington  county,  on  April 
2d,  1908,  by  Mr.  Samuel  Scovell.  This  specimen  would  very  readily 
feign  death  when  irritated  or  annoyed,  by  rolling  over  on  its  back, 
relaxing  as  if  dead,  and  even  allowing  its  tongue  to  hang  out. 

One  taken  near  the  head  of  Millville  Lake,  in  Cumberland  county, 
on  May  9th,  1908.  It  was  found  in  a  rather  waste,  sandy  place.  It 
also  feigned  death  after  being  annoyed. 

Mr.  W.  P.  Seal  says  he  has  seen  it  near  Delair  and  Woodbury. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Bay  Head,  in  Ocean  county,  and  Atlantic 
City. 

Mr.  C.  H.  Connor  secured  it  at  Union  Mills,  on  October  llth,  1908. 

The  example  noted  in  Eep.  N".  J.  State  Mus.,  1907  (1908),  p.  198, 
was  obtained  at  Stafford's  Forge,  in  Ocean  county,  by  Mr.  J.  A.  G. 
Rehn,  on  April  21st,  1907. 


AMPHIBIANS  AND  REPTILES.  405 

Family  CROTALID^. 

Agkistrodon  contortrix  (Linnaeus). 
Copper  Head  Snake. 

Mr.  C.  S.  Williamson  reports  one  killed  near  Newfoundland,  in 
Morris  county,  in  July  of  1905,  and  another  on  a  mountain  near 
Green  Pond,  Morris  county,  in  July  of  1907. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  common  in  the  trap  ridges  immediately  north 
of  Plainfield,  but  absent  south  of  these  hills. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  an  example,  which  was  seen  swimming  across  a  pond 
and  killed  when  it  landed,  at  High  Bridge,  in  Hunterdon  county. 

Crotalus   horridus  Linnaeus. 
Rattle  Snake. 

Mr.  Williamson  reports  two  killed  near  Milton,  Morris  county, 
in  1904,  and  also  two  at  the  same  place  in  1905. 

The  example  I  reported  several  years  ago,  taken  in  1900,  in  a 
swamp  near  Goshen,  was  reported  to  Mr.  H.  Walker  Hand  as  having 
been  nearly  five  feet  long.  Mr.  Hand  was,  however,  unfortunately 
unable  to  verify  this  statement  as  he  did  not  see  the  specimen  him- 
self. Two  other  individuals  were  also  said  to  have  been  killed  there 
at  the  same  time. 

Family  IGUANID^E. 

Sceloporus  undulatus   (Latreille). 
Pine  Tree  Lizard. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Bay  Head,  in  Ocean  county. 


406        EEPOET  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Family  CHELONID^E. 

Genus    COLPOCHELYS    Garman. 

The  Bastard  Turtles. 

Colpochelys   kempi   Grarman. 

Hawksbill  Turtle.    Bastard  Turtle. 

This  species  is  very  closely  related  to  the  loggerhead  turtle,  and 
seems  to  have  first  been  definitely  noticed  from  our  shores  by  Dr. 
0.  P.  Hay.  In  an  elaborate  paper  he  points  out  the  difference  be- 
tween it  and  the  loggerhead.  He  says  that  "it  seems  doubtful 
whether  any  of  the  external  characters  that  have  been  mentioned  by 
Garman  and  Coker  as  distinguishing  this  species  from  the  loggerhead 
are  applicable  in  all  cases/'  though  it  is  very  different  osteologically. 
He  records  a  stuffed  and  dried  specimen  taken  at  Atlantic  City  and 
now  in  the  United  States  National  Museum,  and  a  skull  found  on 
the  coast  of  New  Jersey,  now  in  the  American  Museum  of  Natural 
History  in  New  York. 

Colpochelys  kempi  Hay,  Proc.  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  XXXIV,  1908, 
pp.  183-198,  Pis.  6-11. 

Family  CHELYDRIDJE. 

Chelydra   serpent! na    (Linnaeus). 
Snapping  Turtle. 

Mr.  Miller  found  it  common  about  Plainfield. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Hunterdon  county  and  Camden. 

Family  KINOSTERNID^E. 

Kinosternon  pensylvanicum   (Gmelini). 
Mud  Turtle. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Anglesea,  in  Cape  May  county. 


AMPHIBIANS  AND  REPTILES.  407 

Sternothoerus  odoratus  (Latreille). 
Musk  Turtla 

Mr.  Miller  reports  it  as  common  about  N  Plainfield. 
Mr.  Seal  says  it  occurs  at  Delair. 
Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  High  Bridge. 

Family  EMYDIDJE. 

i 
Malaclemys  centrata  concentrica   (Shaw). 

Diamond  Back  Terrapin. 

Mr.  Seiss  reports  he  saw  one  in  the  marshes  at  Atlantic  City,  about 
1884. 

Pseudemys  rubriventris   (Le  Conte). 
Red  Bellied  Terrapin. 

Mr.  Seal  says  he  has  met  with  it  at  Tomilson's  Mills. 

Chrysemys  picta    (Schneider). 
Painted  Terrapin. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  abundant  about  Plainfield. 
Mr.  Seal  met  with  it  at  Tomilson's  Mills  and  Delair. 
Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Camden,  and  High  Bridge,  in  Hunterdon 
county. 

Clemmys  muhlenbergii   (Schcepff). 
Muhlenberg's  Terrapin. 

Mr.  Miller  reports  it  common  about  Plainfield. 


408   REPORT  OF  NEW  JERSEY  STATE  MUSEUM. 

Clemmys   insculpta    (Le  Conte). 
Wood  Tortoise. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  rather  common  about  Plainfield. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  two  half-grown  examples  from  High  Bridge. 

Clemmys  guttata   (Schneider). 
Spotted  Terrapin. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  rather  abundant  about  Plainfield. 
Mr.  Seal  reports  having  seen  it  at  Brown's  Mills,  in  Burlingtor 
county. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  High  Bridge  and  Gloucester. 

Terrapene   Carolina    (Linnaeus). 
Box  Tortoise. 

Shell  found  in  Crooked  Creek,  near  Cape  May  Court  House,  Cape 
May  county,  on  January  5th,  1908. 

Mr.  Miller  says  it  is  rather  abundant  about  Plainfield. 

One  found  near  South  Dennis,  in  Cape  May  county,  on  May  10th, 
1908.  It  was  rather  dull  yellowish  with  obscure  dusky  markings. 

Mr.  Seiss  has  it  from  Hunterdon  county,  and  Jamesburg,  in 
Middlesex  county. 

Messrs.  Stone  and  McCadden  found  two  examples  at  Beesley's 
Point,  on  August  15th,  1908.  One  had  crimson  eyes. 


INDEX 


PART  I. 

PAGE. 

Commissioners  of   State  Museum 5 

Heads  of  Departments 5 

Curator's  Report 7 


PART  II. 

Auk,  Little  46 

Razor-billed 45 

Auks 43 

Avocet 120 

Baldpate    82 

Bibliography    317 

Bird  Day 23 

Bittern,  Common 99 

Least 100 

Bitterns   98 

Blackbird,  Crow 215 

Red-winged   210 

Rusty   215 

Yellow-headed  210 

Blackbreast   130 

Bluebill    87 

Bluebird 315 

Bobolink    208 

Bob  White 149 

Brant 95 

Black 90 

Broadbill   87 

Creek   87 

Brown-back 126 

Bufflehead    89 

Bullhead    .  143 

Bunting,  Black-throated 246 

Indigo    245 

Painted   246 

Snow   227 

Butrhpr-bird    257 

Butterball    89 

(409) 


410  INDEX. 


PAGE. 

Calicoback  147 

Canvasback   86 

Cardinal 243 

Catbird 295 

Cedarbird    ' 256 

Chat,  Yellow-breasted 289 

Chewink , 242 

Chicadee,  Black-capped 306 

Carolina 306 

Cobhead  88 

Cock  Robin 79 

Coot  116 

Cormorant,  Common 72 

Double-crested    72 

Cormorants    72 

Corn  Crake 114 

Cowbird 209 

Crane,  Whooping 108 

Creeper,  Black-and-White   266 

Brown    302 

Crossbill,  Red 223 

White-winged    224 

Crow 205 

Fish 206 

Crows 202 

Cuckoo,  Black-billed  177 

Yellow-billed  176 

Curlew,  Eskimo 142 

Hudsonian    141 

Jack 141 

Long-billed    140 

Sickle-billed    140 

Dickcissel 246 

Distribution  of  Birds 25 

Dove,  Ground 155 

Mourning 155 

Dovekie    .' 46 

Dowitcher   126 

Long-billed ,. .  126 

Duck,  Baldpate 82 

Black   80 

Bluebill 87 

Broadbill    87 

Bufflehead 89 

Butterball    89 

Canvasback   86 

Cobhead 88 

Coot :)2 

Crow 1 16 

Eider    91 

Fish    78 

Golden-eye  88 


INDEX. 

PAGE. 

Gray   81 

Harlequin    90 

King  Eider  91 

Labrador  90 

Longtail  89 

Mallard    79 

Old-squaw  89 

Old-wife  89 

Pintail   84 

Red-head   86 

Red-legged  Black 80 

Ring-neck    88 

Ruddy 93 

Scaup  87 

Scoter 92 

Shoveller   84 

Sleepy 93 

South-southerly    b9 

Sprig- tail   84 

Spoonbill   ^4 

Summer    85 

Wood   85 

Ducks  74 

Dunkadoo 99 

Eagle,  Bald 165 

Golden 164 

Eagles 158 

Economic  Value  of  Birds 21 

Egg  Collecting  18 

Egret,  Snowy 104 

White    103 

Eider    91 

King   91 

Finch,  Gold \ 225 

Lincoln's 240 

Pine 226 

Purple   222 

Finches   217 

Flicker 184 

Flycatcher,  Acadian 199 

Alder  199 

Fork-tailed    194 

Great-crested 196 

Least  200 

Olive-sided  197 

Scissor-tailed 194 

Wood-pewee 198 

Yellow-bellied 198 

Flycatchers 193 

Fly-up-the-creek 106 

Fulmar  ..  67 


412  INDEX. 


PAGE. 

Gadwall    81 

Gallinule,  Florida   115 

Purple   115 

Gannet   71 

Geese   74 

Glossary    347 

Gnatcatcher,  Blue-gray   309 

Goatsuckers    185 

Godwit,  Hudsonian 134 

Marbled    133 

Golden-eye   88 

Goldfinch    225 

Goose,  Blue   94 

Canada    95 

Greater  Snow  93 

Hutchin's    95 

Snow   ^ , 93 

White-fronted    94 

Goshawk   162 

Grackle,  Boat-tailed   217 

Bronzed 216 

Purple   215 

Grayback    127 

Grebe,    Holboell's    38 

Horned    39 

Pied-billed    39 

Grebes  38 

Grosbeak,  Blue   245 

Cardinal     243 

Evening    220 

Pine    220 

Rose-breasted    244 

Grouse,  Ruffed  150 

Guillemot,  Black  44 

Guillemots    43 

Gull,  Black-backed 52 

Black-headed    55 

Bonaparte's    56 

Glaucous 51 

Herring  53 

Laughing    55 

Ring-billed    • 54 

Gulls 49 

Gunning    16 

Hawk,  Broad-winged 164 

Cooper's    161 

Duck    166 

Fish    168 

Marsh    160 

Pigeon  167 

Red-shouldered    163 

Red-tailed  .                                    162 


INDEX.  413 


PAGE. 

Rough-legged    _.  164 

Sharpshinned 161 

Sparrow     167 

Hawks    158 

Heath-Hen    151 

Hell-Diver    39 

Heron,  Great  Blue   101 

Green    ' 106 

Little  Blue   105 

Louisiana    105 

Night  107 

Snowy   104 

White 103 

Yellow-crowned  Night    108 

Herons    98 

Hummingbird,  Ruby-throated   188 

Ibis,  Glossy    97 

White    97 

Indigo-bird    245 

Introduced  Birds  17 

Jaeger,    Long-tailed    49 

Parasitic    48 

Pomarine    48 

Jaegers    47 

Jay,  Blue   .* 203 

Junco    , 238 

Kingfisher,  Belted   177 

Kinglet,  Golden-crowned    308 

Ruby-crowned     308 

Kite,  Swallow-tailed 159 

Kittiwake    51 

Knot    127 

Lark,  Horned 201 

Meadow    212 

Prairie   Horned   202 

Tit    293 

Shore 201 

Larks     201 

Lawyer    121 

Longspur,  Lapland   227 

Longtail    ' 89 

Loon,  Common   41 

Red-throated    42 

Loons    41 

Mallard    79 

Marlin    •. 133 

Ring-tailed    134 

Martin,   Purple    251 


414  INDEX. 


PAGE. 

Merganser    78 

Red-breasted     78 

Hooded    79 

Migration  of  Birds  25 

Millinery  Collecting    15 

Mockingbird    294 

Mudhen   110 

Murre,   Brunnich's 44 

Nighthawk    186 

Nonpareil    24G 

Nuthatch,  Brown-headed   305 

Red-breasted ' 304 

White-breasted    303 

Old-squaw    89 

Old-wife    89 

Oriole,   Baltimore    214 

Orchard    213 

Osprey    168 

Ovenbird  283 

Owl,  Acadian 173 

Barn    ! 169 

Barred    172 

Great  Gray   173 

Great  Horned 174 

Hawk    175 

Long-eared    171 

Saw-whet    173 

Screech 174 

Short-eared     171 

Snowy   ' 175 

Owls   170 

Oxeye 130,  132 

Oystercatcher    148 

Partridge    149,  150 

Peep    130,  132 

Pelican,  Brown   74 

White 73 

Pelicans    '. 73 

Perching  Birds    189 

Petrel,  Fulmar '. 67 

Leach's    69 

Storm 69 

Wilson's    • 70 

Petrels     66 

Phalarope,  Northern H8 

Red    ll? 

Wilson's H9 

Phalaropes H7 

Pheasant I50 

Ring-necked    i52 


INDEX.  415 


PAGE. 

Passenger  154 

Wild    154 

Pigeons    153 

Pintail     84 

Pipit    293 

Plover,  Black-bellied   143 

t           Field x 138 

Golden    143 

Killdeer    144 

Piping   145 

Ringnecked    145 

Semipalmated     145 

Upland 138 

Wilson's    146 

Poke    106 

Prairie-Chicken    151 

Protection  of  Birds  15,  21 

Puffin    43 

Quail 149 

Rail,  Black 113 

Carolina    112 

Clapper   110 

King    110 

Sora 112 

Virginia    Ill 

Yellow  113 

Rails    109 

Raven    204 

Redhead   86 

Redpoll    . . . ' 224 

Greater' 225 

Redstart 291 

Reedbird 208 

Ring-neck , 145 

Robin    314 

Wood 311 

Ruff   138 

Sandeding  133 

Sandpiper,  Baird's 130 

Buff-breasted 139 

Curlew   131 

Least    130 

Pectoral   128 

Purple    128 

Red-backed    130 

Semipalmated    132 

Solitary   130 

Spotted 140 

Stilt   127 

Western   .132 


416  INDEX. 


PAGE. 

White-rumped  129 

Sandpipers    122 

Sapsucker,  Yellow-bellied 181 

Scaup,  Greater 87 

Lesser  87 

Scoter 92 

Surf 92 

White-winged 92 

Shearwater,  Audubon's 68 

Cory's  67 

Greater   67 

Sooty 68 

Shearwaters    66 

Shell-drake    78 

Fresh-water  78 

Shoveller   84 

Shrike,  Loggerhead  258 

Northern   257 

Skimmer,  Black  65 

Skylark    201 

Snipe 122 

Snipe,  English   125 

Grass 128 

Robin 127 

Wilson's    125 

Snowbird  238 

South-southerly 89 

Sparrow,  Acadian 234 

Chipping    237 

English    221 

Field 238 

Fox , 241 

Grasshopper 230 

Henslow's    231 

House   221 

Ipswich    228 

Lark  235 

Lincoln's 240 

Nelson's   233 

Savannah 229 

Seaside  234 

Sharp-tailed 232 

Song 239 

Swamp  240 

Tree 236 

Vesper    228 

White-crowned   235 

White-throated    236 

Sparrows 217 

Sprigtail    ; 84 

Stake-driver    99 

Starling,  European   206 

Stilt,  Black-necked 121 


INDEX.  417 

PAGE. 

Swallow,  Bank 254 

Barn  252 

Cliff   251 

Bave  251 

Rough-winged   255 

Tree   253 

White-bellied  253 

Swallows   250 

Swan,  Whistling   96 

Swift,  Chimney   ' 187 

Tanager,  Scarlet   248 

Summer 249 

Teal,  Blue-winged   83 

European    82 

Green-winged   83 

Tern,  Arctic  .' 59 

Black 64 

Cabot's    58 

Caspian 57 

Common    61 

Forster's   59 

Gull-billed    56 

Least  62 

Roseate 60 

Royal 57 

Sooty 63 

Trudeau's   58 

Terns   49 

Thrasher,  Brown 296 

Thrush,  Bicknell's 313 

Golden-crowned    283 

Gray-checked 312 

Hermit 313 

Olive-backed    313 

Varied    315 

Water 284 

Wilson's 311 

Wood   :  311 

Titlark   293 

Titmouse,  Black-capped   306 

Tufted   305 

Towhee    242 

Turkey,  Wild   152 

Turnstone    147 

Veery    311 

Vireo,  Blue-headed    261 

Philadelphia 260 

Red-eyed   259 

Solitary 261 

Warbling    260 

27 


418  INDEX. 


PAGE. 

White-eyed    262 

Yellow-throated   261 

Vireos    259 

Vulture,  Black 156 

Turkey    156 

Vultures    156 

Warbler,  Bay-breasted 278 

Black-and-white    266 

Blackburnian   279 

Black-poll    279 

Black-throated  Blue    274 

Black-throated  Green    280 

Blue-winged    ' 268 

Brewster's   269 

Canada    291 

Cape  May   i 273 

Cerulean 277 

Chestnut-sided     277 

Connecticut    287 

Golden-winged    269 

Hooded 290 

Kentucky   286 

Lawrence's    289 

Magnolia    276 

Mourning 287 

Myrtle    275 

Nashville     : 270 

Parula    •  272 

Orange-crowned    , 271 

Palm     281 

Pine 280 

Prairie    282 

Prothonotary 267 

Tennessee    272 

Wilson's 291 

Worm-eating   267 

Yellow    274 

Yellow  Palm 282 

Yellow  Red-poll    282 

Yellow-Rumped    275 

Warblers    -263 

Water-thrush   284 

Grinnell's    285 

Louisiana    285 

Waxwing,  Bohemian  255 

Cedar    ™ 

Whip-poor-will    * 

Whistler 88 

Widgeon    82 

European "^ 

Willet 13T 


INDEX.  419 


PAGE. 

Woodcock 124 

European  123 

Woodpecker,  Downy 179 

Hairy 179 

Pileated    182 

Red-bellied    184 

Red-cockaded    180 

Red-headed  183 

Yellow-bellied 181 

Wren,  Bewick's 298 

Carolina 298 

House 299 

Long-billed  Marsh 301 

Short-billed  Marsh ' 300 

Winter   300 

Wrens    297 

Woodpeckers 178 

Yellowbird 225 

Yellow-legs   136 

Greater 135 

Summer    136 

Yellow-throat,  Maryland   288 


PART  III. 

Abramis  crysoleucas 364,  366 

Acantharchus  pomotis 379 

Achirus  fasciatus  390 

Acipenser  brevirostrum  354 

sturio  353 

Acipenseridae  353 

Acris  gryllus  crepitans  396 

aculeatus,  Gasterosteus  375 

adspersus,  Tautogolabrus 386 

seneus,  Myoxocephalus  389 

aestivalis,  Pomolobus 357 

Agkistrodon  contortrix 405 

Alewi 357 

Alewife  355 

Alosa  sapidissima  358 

amarus,  Notropis  hudsonius  365 

Amber  fish 377 

Ambystoma  opacum  '. 393 

Ambystomidse 393 

Ameiurus  catus  368 

nebulosus  369 

americana,  Morone  382 

americanus,  Ammodytes 390 

Bufo  395 

Esox 370 

Ammodytes  americanus  390 


420  INDEX. 


PAGE. 

Ammody  tidse    390 

analostanus,  Notropis  whipplii 366 

Anchovia  brownii    361 

anchovy,  Broad  banded   361 

andersonii,  Hyla   397 

Anderson  tree  toad 397 

Angler    .> 392 

Anguilla  chrisypa    •.  361 

Anguillidae   361 

Apeltes  quadracus 376 

Aphredoderidae   379 

Aphredoderus  sayanus   379 

Archosargus  probatocephalus 383 

Argentinidse 361 

Atherinidse 374 

auritus,  Lepomis 380 

back,  Black   357 

backs.  Fat 375 

Bairdiella  chrysura  384 

bait,  White 374 

Balistes  carolinensis 386 

Balistidaj 386 

Barn-door   skate    353 

Barred  killifish 373 

bass,  Calico    378 

Black  sea 383 

Small  mouthed  black 381 

Bastard  turtle   406 

turtles    406 

Batrachoididse 391 

beak,   Half    374 

belly,  Black  358 

Belonidae  373 

Bergall   386 

bifrenatus,  Notropis   365 

bilinearis,  Merluccius 392 

bislineatus,  Spelerpes  394 

Bitter  heads 360 

Black  back   357 

black  bass,  Small  mouthed 381 

Black  bellied  herring   : 357 

belly 358 

drum    385 

sea  bass    383 

snake 4°3 

sucker    367 

Blaney's  snake 40- 

Blotched  salamander % 

Blue  fish 378 

green  minnow 3 

spotted  sun  fish  38° 

QQ"1 

Boleosoma  nigrum  olmstedi d81 


INDEX.  421 


PAGE. 

Box   tortoise    408 

brachyptera,  Globiocephala   376 

Bridled  minnow  365 

brevirostrum,  Acipenser 354 

Brevoortia  tyrannus 360 

Broad  banded  anchovy  361 

brownii,  Anchovia 361 

brown  snake,  De  Kay's 402 

Bufo  ainericanus  395 

Bufinidffi 395 

Bulger   357 

bullaris,   Semotilus    363 

Bull  fish 387 

frog 400 

Bullhead    369,  372 

Burr  fish    388 

Butter  fish   379 

Calico  bass 378 

Cape  May  goody   385 

Carangida3    377 

Carcharias  littoralis  --. 352 

Carchariidae    352 

Carolina,  Terrapene 408 

carolinensis,  Balistes 386 

carolinus,  Prionotus   389 

Trachinotus 378 

Carp     367 

carpio,  Cyprinus    367 

catesbeiana,  Rana   400 

cat  fish.  Sea 368 

White    368 

cat.  Nigger   370 

Yellow  369 

Catostomidse 367 

Catostomus  commersonnii    367 

catus,  Ameiurus : 368 

Centrarchida?    370 

centrata  concentrica,  Malaclemys    407 

Centropristes  striatus 383 

centroura,  Dasyatis   353 

cepredianum,  Dorosoma   360 

Chain  snake   404 

chalybaeus,  Notropis 364,  366 

Chelonida* 406 

Chelydra  serpentina    406 

Chelydridae    406 

Chilomycterus  schoepfi  388 

chrisypa  Anguilla    361 

Chrysemys  picta    407 

chrysops,  Stenotomus   383 

chrysura,  Bairdiella    384 

Chub    .                                                                                                                         .  363 


422  INDEX. 


PAGE. 

Chub  sucker 367 

clamata,  Rana 400 

Clemmys  guttata 408 

insculpta    408 

muhlenbergii 407 

clericus    404 

Cluck-cluck  399 

Clupeidse  355 

cod,  Tom 391 

Colpochelys    406 

kempi    406 

Coluber  constrictor 403 

Colubridae   401 

commersonnii,  Catostomus 367 

Common  pampano   378 

speckled  skate 352 

sun  fish 380 

tree  toad 398 

concentrica,  Malaclemys  centrata 407 

Conger  eel 362 

conger,  Leptocephalus 362 

constrictor,  Coluber   403 

contortrix,  Agkistrodon    405 

Copper  head  snake   405 

corporalis,  Cyprinus 363 

Cottidse    389 

Crago  septemspinosus 376 

Creek  sucker 367 

crepitans,  Acris  gryllus 396 

Cricket  toad  396 

cromis,  Pogonias 385 

Crotalidse    405 

Crotalus  horridus 405 

crysoleucas,  Abramis  364,  366 

curema,  Mugil 375 

cusk,    Sand    390 

Cutlass  fish ." 377 

Cynoscion  nebulosus  384 

regalis    384 

Cyprinidse    362 

Cyprinus  carpio 367 

corporalis 363 

darter,   Tessellated    381 

Dasyatidse 353 

Dasyatis  centroura   353 

dekayi,  Storeria 402 

De  Kay's  brown  snake 402 

Delaware  salmon   355 

Desmognathus  fusca 39;> 

Diadophis  punctatus 403 

Diamond  back  terrapin 407 

diaphanus,  Fundulus  372,  373 


INDEX.  423 


PAGE. 

Diodontidffl   388 

Diemictylus  viridescens   395 

Ditch  pike 370 

doliatus  triangulus,  Lampropeltis  404 

dolomieu,  Micropterus 381 

Dorosoma  cepedianum   360 

Dorosomatidse   360 

drum,  Black  385 

Red    384 

Dusky   salamander    395 

Eel 361 

eel,  Conger  362 

Lamper    351 

Silver 377 

eglanteria,  Raja 352 

Emydida? 407 

Engraulididse 361 

Enneacanthus  gloriosus   380 

Erimyzon  sucetta  oblongus   367 

erythronotus,  Plethodon 394 

Esocida? 370 

Esox  americanus  370 

reticulatus    370 

Eupomotis  gibbosus    380 

eye,  Moon  355 

fasciatus,  Achirus 390 

Fat  backs  375 

Felichthys  marinus 368 

fin,  Silver   366 

fish,  Amber 377 

Blue 378 

Bull    387 

Burr 388 

Butter   379 

Cutlass 377 

Gizzard 361 

King   385 

May   372 

Moon    378 

Mud  sun 379 

Oyster 391 

Pilot    377 

Pipe    377 

Rabbit    388 

Trigger     386 

Trumpet    377 

Trunk    387 

Weak    384 

Fistularia  tabacaria   377 

Fistulariidse    , 377 

flavescens,  Perca   381 


424  INDEX. 


PAGE. 

Flipper  358 

flounder,  Summer 389 

Four  spined  stickleback  376 

toed  salamander 393 

frog,  Bull   400 

Green 400 

Leopard 399 

Pickerel 400 

Sphagnum 399 

Wood    400 

Fundulus  diaphanus    372,  373 

heteroclitus  macrolepidotus   372 

majalis    372 

f usca,  Desmognathus , 395 

fuscus,  Syngnathus 377 

Gadidse  391 

gar,  Green 373 

Garter   snake 403 

GasterosteidaB 375 

Gasterosteus  aculeatus 375 

Getulus,  Lampropeltis    404 

gibbosus,  Eupomotis  380 

Gizzard  fish 361 

shad   360,  361 

Globiocephala   brachyptera    376 

gloriosus  Enneacanthus   380 

glutinosus,  Plethodon   394 

goody,  Cape  May 385 

Gravel  sucker 367 

Green  frog 400 

gar   373 

gryllus  crepitans,  Acris 396 

guttata,  Clemmys 408 

Hake    392 

Half  beak 374 

Hammer  head  shark 352 

Hawksbill  turtle   406 

heads,  Bitter    360 

Hemidactylium  scutatum  393 

Hemiramphidae    374 

herring,  Black  bellied 357 

herrin.  Rail    358 

heteroclitus  macrolepidotus,  Fundulus    372 

Heterodon  platyrinos    404 

Hickory  shad   355 

Hog  nose  snake  404 

horridus,  Crotalus 405 

House   snake    404 

hudsonius  amarus,  Notropis   365 

Hybognathus  nuchalis  regius   362 


INDEX.  425 


PAGE. 

Hyla  andersonii 397 

pickeringii     396 

versicolor    398 

Hylidte    396 

Hyporhamphus  unifasciatus   374 

Iguanidse 405 

insculpta,  Clemmys 408 

kempi,  Colpochelys   406 

killifish,  Barred 373 

King  fish    385 

Kinosternidse    406 

Kinosternon  pensylvanicum    406 

Labridse    386 

Lactophrys   triqueter    387 

laevigatus,   Lagocephalus    388 

Isevis,  Raja  353 

Lagocephalus  laevigatus 388 

Lagodon  rhomboides   383 

Lamper    351 

eel    351 

Lamprey    351 

Lampropeltis  doliatus  triangulus   404 

getulus    404 

lance,  Sand   390 

Leather  snake   401 

leberis,  Regina   401 

Leiostomus    352 

xanthurus   385 

Leopard  frog 399 

Lepomis  auritus    380 

Leptocephalidae   362 

Leptocephalus  conger    362 

lepturus,  Trichiurus   377 

Leucosomus  rhotheus   363 

light,  Window    389 

lineatus,   Roccus    382 

littoralis,   Carcharias    352 

lizard,  Pine  tree  -. 405 

Long  eared  sun  fish   ". 380 

tailed  salamander  394 

longicauda,  Sperlerpes   394 

Dophiidaa     392 

Lophius  piscatorius   392 

Lophopsetta  maculata    389 

macrolepidotus,  Fundulus  heteroclitus    372 

maculata,  Tophopsetta  389 

maculatus,   Spheroides    388 

majalis,  Fundulus  .  .  372 


426  INDEX. 


PAGE. 

Malaclemys  centrata  concentrica   407 

marginata,  Rissola   390 

marinus,  Felichthys    368 

Petr.omyzon    351 

Tylosurus 373 

May  fish 372 

mediocris,   Pomolobus    355 

Menidia  menidia  notata   374 

menidia  notata,  Menidia   374 

Menticirrhus  saxatilis   385 

Merlucciidse  392 

Merluccius  bilinearis 392 

Microgadus  tomcod  391 

Micropterus  dolomieu    381 

minnow,  Blue  green 366 

Bridled    365 

Mud    371 

Silvery    362 

Spot  tailed  365 

Moon  eye    355 

fish    378 

mordax,  Osmerus   361 

Morone  americana  382 

Mossbunker    360 

Mouche    354 

Mud  minnow 371 

shad  360,  361 

sun  fish 379 

turtle   406 

Mugil    366 

curema    375 

Mugilidse 375 

muhlenbergii,  Clemmys 407 

Muhlenberg's  terrapin    407 

Mullet 375 

Mummichog    , 372 

Musk  turtle 407 

Myoxocephalus  ameus 389 

Natrix  sipedon 401 

nebulosus,  Ameiurus • 369 

Cynoscion    384 

Newt    395 

Nigger  cat 370 

nigrum  olmstedi,  Boleosoma 381 

notata,  Menidia  menidia  374 

Notropis  bifrenatus 365 

chalybseus   364,  366 

hudsonius  amarus   365 

whipplii  analostanus   366 

nuchalis  regius,  Hybognathus 362 


INDEX.  427 


PAGE. 

oblongus,  Erirayzon  sucetta 367 

occipito-maculata,  Storeria   401 

odoratus,  Stern-othoerus   407 

olmstedi,  Boleosoma  nigrum  ...  * 381 

onitis,   Tautoga    386 

opacum,  Ambystoma  393 

Ophidiidse 390 

Opsanus  tau 391 

ornatus    372 

Osmerus  mordax   361 

Ostraciidae    387 

Oyster  fish 391 

Painted  terrapin   407 

palustris,  Rana   400 

pampano,  Common   378 

Paralichthys  dentatus 389 

pensylvanicum,  Kinosternon   406 

Perca  flavescens 381 

Perch  382 

Pirate    379 

Silver    384 

White    382 

Yellow  381 

Percidse   381 

Petromyzonidse 351 

Petromyzon  marinus    351 

Phycis  regius   392 

Pickerel 370 

frog    400 

Pickering's  tree  toad 396 

picta,  Chrysemys    407 

pike,  Ditch  370 

Pilot  fish 377 

Pine  tree  lizard  405 

Pink  white  bait 361 

Pipe  fish  377 

pipiens,   Rana    399 

Pirate  perch 379 

piscatorius,  Lophius  392 

platyrinos,  Heterodon 404 

Plethodon  erythronotus    394 

glutinosus    394 

Plethodontidse    393 

Pleurodelidse    395 

Pleuronectida?    389 

Poeciliidse   -. 372 

Pogonias  cromis   385 

Pomatomidae 378 

Pomatomus  saltatrix 378 

Pomolobus  sestivalis 357 

mediocris    355 

pseudoharengus    355 


428  INDEX. 


PAGE. 

Bomoxis  sparoides   379 

pomotis,  Acantharchus 379 

Poor  soles 360 

Porgy 383 

Poronotus  triacanthus   379 

Prionotus    352 

carolinus    389 

probatocephalus,  Archosargus 383 

Pseudacris  triseriatus 396 

Pseudemys  rubriventris   407 

pseudoharengus,  Pomolobus  355 

Puffer   388 

punctatus,  Diadophis 403 

pygmsea,  Umbra   371 

quadracus,  Apeltes 376 

Rabbit  fish  388 

Rail  herrin 358 

Raja  eglanteria   352 

Isevis    353 

Rajida?    352 

Rana  catesbeiana 400 

clamata 400 

palustris    400 

pipiens    399 

sylvatica 400 

virgatipes  399 

Ramidse 399 

Rattler   356,  357 

Rattle   snake    405 

ray,  Sting  .. 353 

Red  backed  salamander .• 394 

bellied  snake    401 

terrapin    , 407 

drum   384 

salamander    395 

regalis,  Cynoscion  384 

Regina  leberis    401 

regius,  Hybognathus  nuchalis 362 

Phycis 392 

reticulatus,  Esox  370 

rhomboides,  Lagodon   383 

rhotheus,  Leucosomus 363 

Ribbon  snake  403 

Ring  necked  snake 403 

Rissola  marginata. 390 

Roach    364 

robin,  Sea 389 

Roccus  lineatus 382 

Rock    382 

ruber,  Spelerpes   395 

rubriventris,  Pseudemys 407 


INDEX.  429 


PAGE. 

Sailor's  choice   383 

salamander,  Blotched 393 

Dusky  395 

Four  toed   393 

Long  tailed 394 

Red  395 

Red  backed 394 

Spotted    393 

Sticky    394 

Two  lined 394 

salmon,  Delaware   355 

saltatrix,  Pomatomus   378 

Sand  cusk 390 

lance    390 

shark    352 

sucker 367 

sapidissima,  Alosa 358 

sauritus,  Thamnophis  403 

saxatilis,  Menticirrhus  385 

sayanus,  Aphredoderus -. 379 

Sceloporus  undulatus   405 

schoepfi,  Chilomycterus 388 

Scifenidse '. .  384 

Sciamops  352 

ocellatus    384 

Sculpin    389 

scutatum,  Hemidactylium   393 

sea  bass,  Black 383 

Sea  cat.  fish , 368 

robin    389 

Selene  vomer   378 

Semotilus    363 

bullaris 363 

septemspinosus,  Crago   371 

Seriola  zonata 377 

serpentina,  Chelydra 406 

Serranidffi   382 

Shad 358 

shad,  Gizzard 360,  361 

Hickory    355 

Mud  360,  361 

shark,  Hammer  head 352 

Sand    352 

Sheepshead  383 

Siluridae    368 

Silver  eel 377 

fin    366 

perch    384 

tail  ,. 369 

Silversides    374 

Silvery  minnow  362 

sipedon,  Natrix   401 


430    v  INDEX. 


PAGE. 

sirtalis,  Thamnophis 403 

skate,  Barn  door 352 

Common  speckled 352 

Small  mouthed  black  bass 381 

Smelt    361 

snake,  Black 403 

Blaney's    402 

Chain 404 

Copper  head 405 

De  Kay's  brown 402 

Garter 403 

Hog  nose 404 

House    404 

Leather   401 

Rattle 405 

Red  bellied 401 

Ribbon    403 

Ring  necked  403 

Water    401 

snakes,  Virginia 402 

Snapping  turtle 406 

Sole    390 

Soleidae    390 

soles,  Poor   360 

Sparidse 383 

sparoides,  Pomoxis   379 

speckled  skate,  Common 352 

Spelerpes  bislineatus    394 

longicauda    394 

ruber    395 

Sphagnum  frog 399 

Spheroides  maculatus  388 

Sphyrna  zygsena   352 

Sphyrnidse    352 

Spot  tailed  minnow 365 

Spotted  salamander 393 

terrapin    408 

weak  fish  .' 384 

spotted  sun  fish,  Blue -^ 380 

Stenotomus  chrysops   383 

Sternothoarus  odoratus 407 

stickleback,  Four  spined 376 

Two  spined   375 

Sticky  salamander 394 

Sting  ray  353 

Storeria  dekayi   402 

occipito-maculata 401 

striatus,  Centropristes   * 383 

Stromateidse 379 

Sturgeon   353 

sturio,  Acipenser   353 

sucetta  oblongus,   Erimyzon    367 


INDEX.  431 


PAGE. 

sucker,  Black  367 

Chub    367 

Creek  367 

Gravel   367 

Sand    367 

White  : 367 

Summer  flounder 389 

sun  fish,  Blue  spotted 380 

Common 380 

Long  eared  380 

Mud  379 

Swamp  tree  toad 396 

sylvatica,  Rana .  400 

Syngnathidae    377 

Syngnathus  f uscus 377 

tabacaria,  Fistularia  377 

tail,  Silver 369 

tan,  Opsanus 391 

Tautog    386 

Tautoga  onitis  386 

Tautogolabrus  adspersus   386 

Terrapene  Carolina   408 

terrapin,  Diamond  back  407 

Muhlenberg's    407 

Painted     407 

Red  bellied 407 

Spotted 408 

Tessellated  darter   381 

Tetrodontidse    388 

Thamnophis  sauritus    403 

sirtalis   403 

Toad 395 

toad,  Anderson  tree 397 

Common  tree 398 

Cricket    396 

Pickering's  tree  396 

Swamp  tree   396 

Tom  cod 391 

tomcod,   Microgadus    391 

Trachinotus  carolinus   378 

tree  toad,  Anderson 397 

Common 398 

Pickering's    396 

Swamp   396 

triacanthus,  Poronotus 379 

triangulus   404 

Lampropeltis  doliatus 404 

Trichiuridse    377 

Trichuirus  lepturus   377 

Trigger  fish 386 

Triglidffi     389 

triqueter,  Lactophrys   387 


±32  INDEX. 


triseriatus,    Pseudacris    396 

Trumpet  fish    377 

Trunk  fish  387 

turtle,  Bastard 406 

Hawksbill   406 

Mud  406 

Musk 407 

Snapping 406 

turtles,  Bastard    406 

Two  lined  salamander 394 

spined  stickleback    375 

Tylosurus  marinus    373 

tyrannus,  Brevoortia 360 

Umbra  pygmaBa 371 

Umbridse 371 

undulatus,  Sceloporus 405 

unifasciatus,  Hyporhamphus   374 

valeriae,   Virginia    402 

versicolor,  Hyla 398 

virgatipes,  Rana 399 

Virginia < 402 

snakes 402 

valeriae 402 

vomer,  Selene   378 

Water  snake 401 

Weak  fish  384 

weak  fish,   Spotted   384 

whipplii,  analostanus,  Notropis 366 

White  bait   374 

cat  fish 368 

perch    382 

sucker     367 

white  bait,  Pink 361 

Whiting    392 

Window  light 389 

Wood  frog    40( 

tortoise    408 

xanthurus,  Leiostomus  385 

Yellow  cat   369 

perch    381 

zonata,  Seriol-a   3T7 

zygeena,  Sphyrna 352 


PLATES 


Q. 
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o 

T3 
O 

Q. 


PLATE  3. 


From  specimen  in  State  Museum. 

LOON.     Gavia  immer  (Brunn.) 


a  « 
<o    g 


a 


<  a 

Z  DC 

o  w 

m  i 

r^  c\i 


PLATE  5. 


From  Audubon. 


COMMON   TERN.     Sterna    hirundo  Linn. 


Q. 

Z 

§    O 

i  I 

£    CQ 


PLATE  9. 


Prom  Audubon. 


WOOD   DUCK.     Aix   sponsa    (Linn.). 


UJ 
CO 

o 
o 
o 

a  < 

IS 


PLATE  12. 


From  specimens  in  State  Museum. 

GREAT   BLUE    HERON.     Ardea   herodias  Linn. 


PLATE  13. 


From  photograph  furnished  by  Nat.  Asso.  Aud.  Soc. 

EGRET.      Herodias   egretta    (Gmel.). 


PLATE  17. 


From  Audubon. 

1.  FLORIDA    GALLINULE.      Gallinula    galeata    (Licht.) 

2.  COOT.     Fulica   americana    (Gmel.). 


3  .5 


a  I 

re    c 

i  e 


3 

.     E 
U    ir 

|S 

CO      , 


ii 

CO    > 
_l    CQ 

-  o 

>   CQ 


T-    CM 


PLATE  22. 


From  drawing  by  Fuertes,  Nat.  Asso.  And.  Soc. 

UPLAND    PLOVER.      Eartramia    longicauda    (Bechst.), 


PLATE  24. 


From   drawing  by  Horsfall,   Nat.   Asso.  Aud.  Soc. 

KILLDEER.     Oxyechus  vociferus   (Linn.). 


PLATE  31. 


From  Wilson. 


RED-TAILED    HAWK.      Buteo   borealis    (Gmel.). 


PLATE  33. 


From  Wilson. 


SPARROW   HAWK.     Falco  sparverius  Linn. 


PLATE  34. 


From  drawing  by  Fuertes.  Nat.  Asso.  Aud.  Soc. 

SCREECH   OWL.     Otus  asio    (Linn.). 


PLATE  35. 


From  Wilson. 

YELLOW-BILLED  CUCKOO.     Coccyzus  americanus  (Linn.). 


PLATE  36. 


From   drawing  by  Horsfall,   Nat.  Asso.  Aud.  Soc. 

BELTED  KINGFISHER.     Ceryle  alcyon   (Linn.), 


PLATE  37. 


From  Wilson. 

DOWNY  WOODPECKER.      Dryobates  pubescens  medianus    (Sw.). 


PLATE!  38. 


From  Wilson. 
RED-HEADED   WOODPECKER.      Melanerpes  erythrocephalus   (Linn.). 


PLATE  39. 


From  Wilson. 


FLICKER.     Colaptes  auratus  luteus  Bangs. 


PLATE  40. 


From  Wilson. 

WHIP-POOR-WILL.     Antrostomus   vociferus    (Wils.). 


PLATE  41. 


From  Wilson. 


NIGHT-HAWK.     Chordeiles  virginianus  (Gmel.). 


PLATE  42. 


m 


From  Wilson. 


CHIMNEY  SWIFT.     Chaetura   pelagica    (Linn.). 


PLATE  44. 


From   Wilson. 

1.  WOOD    PEWEE.       Myiochanes    virens    (Linn.). 
2.   KINGBIRD.     Tyrannus  tyrannus    (Linn.). 


PLATE  45. 


From  Wilson. 

GREAT  CRESTED  FLYCATCHER.     Myiarchus  crinitus  (Linn.). 


PLATE  47. 


From   drawing  by  Horsfall,  Nat.  Asso.  Aud.  Soc. 

BLUE  JAY.     Cyanocitta  cristata   (Linn.) 


pq 


PLATE  49. 


From  ^Yilson. 

BOB-O-LINK.      Dolichonyx   oryzivorus    (Linn.). 


PLATE  50. 


From   drawing  by  Horsfall,   Nat.   Asso.  Aud.  Soc. 

RED-WINGED    BLACKBIRD.     Agelaius   phoeniceus    (Linn.) 


PLATE  51. 


From  drawing  by  Fuertes,  Nat.  Asso.  Aud.  Soc. 

MEADOW-LARK.      Sturnella    magna    (Linn.). 


PLATE  52. 


From  drawing  by  Horsfall,   Nat.  Asso.   And.   Soc. 

BALTIMORE    ORIOLE.      Icterus    galbula    (Linn.) 


PLATE  54. 


From   drawing  by   Horsfall,   Nat.  Asso.  Aucl.  Soc. 

CROSSBILL.    .Loxia  curvirostra  minor  (Brehm) 


PLATE  55. 


From  drawing  by  Horsfall,  Nat.  Asso.  Aud.  Soc. 

GOLDFINCH.     Astragalinus  tristis   (Linn.). 


PLATE  56. 


From  Wilson. 


1.  FOX   SPARROW.      Passerella   iliaca    (Merr.). 

2.  WHITE-THROATED    SPARROW.     Zonotrichia    albicollis    (Gmel.). 


PLATE  57. 


From  Wilson. 

1.  FIELD    SPARROW.      Spizella    pusilla    (Wils.). 

2.  CHIPPING  SPARROW.     Spizella  passerina   (Bechst). 


PLATE  59. 


From   drawing  by  Horsfall,   Nat.   Asso.  Aud.  Soc. 

SONG   SPARROW.      Melospiza  melodia    (Wils.). 


a. 

Q. 

UJ 

UJ 

I 

£ 

O 


PLATE  61. 


From  Wilson. 


CARDINAL.     Cardinalis  cardinalis   (Linn.). 


PLATE  62. 


From  Wilson. 

ROSE-BREASTED    GROSBEAK.      Zamelodia    ludoviciana    (Linn.). 


PLATE  63. 


From  Wilson. 

INDIGO-BIRD.      Passerina    cyanea    (Linn.). 


PLATE  64. 


From  drawing  by   Horsfall,   Nat.  Asso.  Aud.  Soc. 

SCARLET    TANAGER.      Piranga    erythromelas    Vieill. 


PLATE  65. 


From  Wilson. 


1.  BANK   SWALLOW.      Riparia   riparia    (Linn.) 

2.  PURPLE     MARTIN.      Progne    subis     (Linn.). 


PLATE  66. 


From  drawing  by   Horsfall,   Nat.   Asso.  And.  Soc. 

BARN    SWALLOW.     Hirundo    erythrogastra   Bodd. 


PLATE  67. 


f  % 


From  drawing  by   Horsfall,   Nat.   Asso.  Aud.  Soc. 

TREE  SWALLOW.     Iridoprocne  bicolor   (Vieill.). 


PLATE  70. 


From  Wilson. 

1.  WHITE-EYED   VIREO.     Vireo   griseus    (Bodd.). 

2.  RED-EYED    VIREO.      Vireosylva   olivacea    (Linn.). 


®  .2 

a  > 


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'£  o 

V)  <0 

ft  '-5 

ni  ns 

o  o 

2  2 

•O  -D 

E  C 

«  <U 

Q  Q 


DC   QC 
LU    QJ 

^ 

DC   C 


S  u 

Si 

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LU    DC 
>    0. 


PLATE  72. 


-    .   ^pS**^ 


From  Wilson. 

1.  HOODED  WARBLER. 

2.  MYRTLE  WARBLER. 


Wilsonia  citrina    (Bodd.). 
Dendroica    coronata    (Linn.) 


PLATE  73. 


From  Wilson. 

1.  WATER    THRUSH.      Seiurus    noveboracensis    (Gmel.). 

2.  OVEN-BIRD.     Seiurus   aurocapillus    (Linn.). 


re  O 

IH 


.  o 

<  I 

I  H 

O  ^ 

o  o 

UJ  j 

CO  UJ 

LU 

CC  Q 

CD  Z 


UJ 


PLATE  75. 


From  Audubon. 


REDSTART.     Setophaga   ruticilla   (Linn.). 


PLATE  77. 


From  Wilson. 


BROWN    THRASHER.     Toxostoma    rutum    (Linn.). 


PLATE  78. 


From  Wilson. 

1.  CAROLINA    WREN.      Thryothorus    ludovicianus    (Lath.). 

2.  WINTER    WREN.      Nannus    hiemalis    (Vieill.). 

3.  HOUSE   WREN.     Troglodytes  aedon  Vieill. 


5  a 


P 

Q  DC 

LU  UJ 

I-  Q. 

CO  UJ 

<  UJ 

UJ  DC 


UJ   Z 

I-  ^ 


PLATE  80. 


From  Wilson. 

1.  TUFTED   TITMOUSE.      Baeolophus   bicolor    (Linn.) 

2.  CHICKADEE.      Penthestes   atricapilius    (Linn.). 


PLATE  81. 


From    drawing   by    Ilorsfall,    Nnt.    Asso.    And.    Sue. 

1.  GOLDEN-CROWNED    KINGLET.      Regulus   satrapa   Licht. 

2.  RUBY-CROWNED   KINGLET.     Regulus  calendula   (Linn.). 


PLATE  84. 


From  drawing  by  Horsfall,   Nat.  Asso.  And.  Soc. 

BLUEBIRD.     Sialia  sialis  (Linn.). 


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